Fire and Ice
by The-Stupidest-Author-Ever
Summary: Ash is traveling across Unova for his Pokémon Journey, but suddenly strange phenomena begins to occur across the region. An ancient creature is awakening, and its rage is growing. Reshiram, the Vast White Dragon of Truth and Fire, is the only one who understands the coming danger and searches desperately for her hero, but he's having problems of his own.
1. Prologue

**Reshiram is one of my favorite Legendaries and Unova is my favorite region, so I was inspired to write this fanfic. Hope you enjoy! Oh, FYI, in this story Reshiram is female and Zekrom is male.**

**Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. **

**Warnings: Minor deaths, language, and violence.**

**Spoiler Warnings: This fic has references from a couple movies and episodes.**

* * *

The dragon flapped her wings, stirring the still air. She slightly lifted her head, staring into the glare of the morning sun. But it didn't bother her. After all, she was a fire-type. The sun's light reflected off her brilliant electric-blue eyes, and made her vast while fur glow. The dragon purred, soaking in the light and warmth. She fluttered into a hover, absorbing her surroundings.

Over half of the sun poked over the horizon, while the rest of its body hid submerged in the sea. Great rays of light beamed from the sphere, reaching toward everything in sight. The sun even reflected off the ocean, looking like an awesome fire rippling in the waters. Clumps of wispy clouds floated around the dragon, gleaming and darkened at the same time. They hung motionless, as the air refused to move, only obeying their true nature when the dragon flapped her mighty wings. Miles below, a forest spread across the land, cushioned between the ocean's beaches and the mountains to the west.

So peaceful. This was Reshiram's favorite thing to do: fly high in the sky just to see the world's beauty.

It had been several months since she had been awakened by her hero. Oh, what was his name? Oh, yes, Ash. Ash had told her he had no desire to rein her and her powers; that he wished for her to go free. So Reshiram—along with her partner, Zekrom—did just that. They traveled across the Unova region, either together or apart. Now Reshiram was alone, as Zekrom retreated to a lair deep within a mountain to rest.

After staring at her surroundings for several more minutes, she flapped her wings to move. It was time to go. But a noise stopped her. Reshiram hovered again and extended her senses. Only two seconds of silence past before she heard a cry. Reshiram blinked. It belonged to a small one, deep within the forest. Most wouldn't have heard it, but as a dragon with sensitive senses and a Legendary, Reshiram heard it as clearly as if it was right next to her. And she understood well it was cry of pain and fear.

Reshiram slightly curled her lips in a snarl. Ever since her birthdate, she was raised and trained to protect all creatures. Plus, it was just part of her nature. No, she wasn't going to ignore this cry. It could simply be a game of hunter and prey, but this seemed like _more._

Without second thought, Reshiram flapped her wings and dived towards the forest. She folded her wings flat on her sides and kept her body straight; her head aiming straight for the ground. She looked like a giant arrow made of white marble shooting from the sky. At the very last second, Reshiram's wings snapped open to their full length, almost stopping her fall entirely. Riding on the air currents, she swooped over the forest and began to glide above the thick canopy.

Thankfully she finally caught up to the cry in a clearing. With a snarling roar, Reshiram shifted her wings and slammed onto the grassy ground. Her claws dug into the earth as a cloud of dust engulfed her. It only took one flap to clear it. When her vision was sharp again, Reshiram looked over to see several Deerling huddled on the clearing's edge near some rocks. At first they stared at her with terror, but relaxed when they realized it was the Legendary Reshiram. But the fear was still in their eyes.

Reshiram was just about to ask what was wrong until she sensed something was to her left. She turned her head to see a group up to a dozen Cryogonal. They came to a halt when they noticed Reshiram, but still swarmed, floating and spinning in all directions. They swallowed their nervousness and began to fan out. Their hard expressions and glares were colder than usual. Reshiram could feel their thoughts to kill and determination to carry out their mission. They were too dark for a regular hunt. The dragon narrowed her eyes. Cryogonal can be aggressive sometimes, but they usually didn't cause trouble. They especially weren't found in this type of habitat.

Hmm, time to put them in their place. Reshiram turned her entire body towards them. She snapped her wings open, making her appear two times larger. The Cryogonal winced, but resumed their advance. This caused Reshiram to let out a long, deep growl. The Cryogonal hesitated longer this time, but like before, they continued. The Deerling behind Reshiram whimpered. The dragon's eyes narrowed even more to needle-like slits. Now she was getting angry.

Aware of the Deerling were frozen in fear and their safety was endangered, she slightly turned to them. She ordered them to run with a couple growls. The largest one, probably the natural leader, nodded. The Deerling ducked into the forest, but the Cryogonal noticed their escape. The nearest two dashed towards them, but Reshiram was quick to react.

Flapping her wings and warming the air with her tail, she manipulated the air to cluster the Cryogonal together. They spun in a mini-tornado for a few seconds before pulling themselves together. Reshiram decided to give them one last warning. She took a step forward and thrust her head towards the group. She opened her jaws wide and let out her signature roar. But this time the Cryogonal were unfazed.

Now Reshiram was outraged. What in the world was happening? Why were the Cryogonal acting this way? Why were they testing her? Reshiram was usually gentle and kind, but all Pokémon understood that she could become a fierce warrior knowing no mercy in seconds. Fine, if they wanted her rage, so be it.

Her silent challenge was answered when suddenly all the Cryogonal fired an Ice Beam at her. Reshiram took another step and opened her jaws again, this time unleashing a jet of fire. The fire quickly destroyed the beams and engulfed the entire Cryogonal swarm. The Cryogonal's screams could barely be heard over the violent storm of fire.

Peering through her own attack, Reshiram saw the Cryogonal starting to melt. Steam hissed from their crystal-ice bodies, not even turning into water. Their forms shrunk rapidly and their features blurred with each second. It wasn't long before they were nothing but vapor. Reshiram finally closed her jaws, extinguishing the flame.

But the battle wasn't over. Cryogonal were just as deadly as vapor as their ice forms. Reshiram had simply warmed their body temperature to where they lost their physical form. She hoped that her attack had both weakened and scared them, but she still sensed the Cryogonal's sinister thoughts. They were weak, but they were not scared. No, they were preparing for a counterattack. But Reshiram would not let them.

Heaving a deep breath and even activating her tail engine, Reshiram released a massive storm of fire. The wispy forms let out more screams as the fire swirling around them. Reshiram felt their pain like her own, but their thoughts to destroy were just as great. The dragon intensified her attack; it being flashy having nothing to do with it. Finally, Reshiram diminished the fire. All that was left of the Cryogonal were wisps of useless gases. It was over.

Reshiram stared on, guilt nipping her heart. She didn't want to take that far; she rarely killed. But the Cryogonal _just wouldn't stop_. Reshiram folded her wings on her back and began to ponder the situation.

Those were real and natural Cryogonal, but a newborn Caterpie could understand something was _very _wrong. There was no reason for the Cryogonal to act that way. Reshiram would have to figure out what was going on by herself. She didn't really know where to start, but that would not stop her quest. As she took off and soared thousands of feet into the sky, Reshiram wondered if she should involve her hero, Ash. She decided against it. She didn't even know how critical this all was yet. But she will call for Ash if it ever came to that.


	2. Chapter 1

"Scraggy, Hi Jump Kick!" Ash cried.

"Dodge it, Axew!" Iris ordered in the same manner.

Both trainers gritted their teeth as Scraggy lunged towards Axew, his knee glowing. At the last second, Axew sidestepped out of the way, having Scraggy's attack miss by millimeters. Ash watched in dismay as Scraggy kept going and slammed hard onto the ground. The young Pokémon cringed in pain. Iris was quick to take advantage of Scraggy's weakness.

"Now Scratch!" she yelled, throwing her hand toward her baby dragon.

"Axew!" Axew confirmed, charging toward his training partner.

His tiny claws glowed before Axew raked them across Scraggy's head. Scraggy fell to the ground, not knowing what hit him. Ash noticed Axew was making the mistake of staying near its opponent for too long. Having faith in his Pokémon, Ash called out, "Scraggy! Get up and use Headbutt!"

Scraggy's eyes were shut tight, but after hearing his trainer's order, they shot open. The rebellious Pokémon jumped to his feet and head-butted a distracted Axew right on the forehead. Axew cried out in pain and stumbled backwards, holding his throbbing head. Iris cried in dismay. Ash was just about to order for another attack until Cilan's call from the other side of the clearing interrupted him.

"Guys, lunch is ready!" the teenager hollered.

"Alright!" Ash immediately exclaimed. He dashed toward the portable table filled with food without a second thought. His loyal Pikachu followed him, leaving Axew and Scraggy standing alone in the clearing. Along with Iris, of course.

"Ash!" Iris cried. "What about our battle?"

"Eat first!" Ash replied.

Iris watched after him, twitching. Finally she let her body go limp with a sigh. She signaled Axew and Scraggy to follow her as she trudged toward their supplies. But when she sniffed the food's aroma, she found herself sprinting herself toward Cilan much like Ash.

* * *

The door opened with a long creaking sound. The building was well-furnished and looked new, but the intruder had an idea it was actually quite old. The building looked like a small hotel or a Bed & Breakfast. It was two stories with a dozen rooms on each floor. The rooms varied: some would be studies, a break room, bedrooms, etc. Some looked better than others: some would look like a ruined apartment; others would look like a regal suite. The owner had interesting taste.

The intruder was on the second floor now. This floor was mostly bedrooms, but most of them were run down. He calmly walked toward the end of the single hallway. He was cautious, but he understood the owner wouldn't be coming back soon. So why waste time on your toes?

Finally, the intruder came to a wooden door. He jiggled the doorknob to see if it was locked. It was open, with not even some sort sensor or back up lock. Pathetic.

He crept inside into another bedroom. This one wasn't regal or ruined, more like a plain cabin room. The walls, ceiling, and floor were all made of wood, some parts polished while there was some rot in the corners. A desk rested on each side of the head of the king-sized bed that rest in the center. The bed had a post on each corner, metal bars connected the tops. A thin ivory canopy hung over the bars, but the curtains were pulled back to reveal the center.

Cuddled on top of the satin white sheets lay a boy. He was probably not much older than ten. He wore black pants that reached to his ankles with a blue and white jacket. It was unzipped at the moment, showing an all-black T-shirt. He had spikey raven black hair, and even though they were closed at the moment, the intruder knew he had chocolate brown eyes. The intruder noticed a pair of shoes, gloves and a hat thrown at the foot of the bed. The boy was completely motionless except for the gentle rise and fall of his body as he breathed.

He looked peaceful—which he probably was—but the intruder understood he needed to be awakened. Anyone else would have assumed the boy trespassed in order to get a good night's sleep—he was even made to appear that way—though that was not the case. The intruder snapped his fingers.

"Persian," he called. Immediately an ivory-colored cat that came to his knees crawled out from behind him. A gleaming red jewel was impeded in its forehead, looking like a lost treasure. The cat's blood-red eyes peered up at the boy with curiosity. The intruder didn't even glance at his Pokémon as he ordered, "Screech."

The cat stepped forward and opened its jaws. At the same moment, an awful, high-pitched raking sound filled the room. The heart of the noise was focused on the poor boy.

* * *

The group gobbled down their food in a matter of seconds. The Pokémon, also having their lunch break, finished likewise. Ash fell back on the ground, stuffed. He opened his eyes to peer at the sky far above him, white puffy clouds lazily crawling across their blue canvas. The sun glowed brilliantly, drawing out colors throughout the land. Ash wanted to stay like this forever, but he was well aware he had a battle to finish.

"Ok, let's go!" he exclaimed.

He threw his legs into the air and slammed his feet onto the ground, propelling him into a crouching position. He straightened and whirled around, trotting back to his spot.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, racing after him. Scraggy was not far behind. Iris glanced at them.

"Really, Ash?" she sighed. They just finished lunch; he couldn't wait for just a few more minutes? Ash and his team got to their spots.

"Really," Ash confirmed, determination burning in his eyes. Iris shook her head and lifted her hands in defeat. Even though, she smirked in amusement.

"Such a little kid," she commented. She got to her feet and walked to the other side of the clearing across from Ash. Axew followed her until he walked to his spot on the battlefield. Both turned toward their opponent, their determination mirroring Ash's. On the side of the clearing, Cilan was cleaning up but was glancing at them over his shoulder. The group of their Pokémon were clustered to the side, watching with awe. Finally Iris made the first move.

"Axew, Outrage!" she cried.

Axew's eyes snapped open to reveal glowing red eyes burning with fury. A red aura surrounded his body. Suddenly the little creature charged at Scraggy at impossible speed. But Ash was ready for it. He threw his hand up and was about to call an order until something stopped him. Suddenly a ringing sound filled Ash's hearing. He winced, but tried to ignore it.

"Scraggy, use—"

He couldn't finish as the ringing suddenly intensified. Ash cringed. It wasn't a soft noise; it was so loud and intense it _hurt_. Ash's body went rigid and his face was screwed with pain. His vision became blurry, but he could see Axew slamming into Scraggy, sending the Shedding Pokémon flying. Ash wanted to cry out for his friend, but only ended up screaming in agony as the ringing became even more severe. Finally the boy fell to his knees.

He barely heard his friends' startled yells. His vision was so blurred he could barely make out his surroundings. The ringing was so intense it sounded like raw steel scraping against each other. It felt like the horrible screeching sound was digging into his soul and drowned all his senses. He made himself look up, only to witness a horrifying sight.

It was like someone was rapidly switching a light on and off. One moment Ash would see a light, fresh forest, and then the next his vision was dark and gloomy. Everything was becoming worse and worse until Ash couldn't take it anymore. He threw his head back and let out a yell.

"AAAAAHHHHH!"

Ash shot up. The screeching finally stopped, but Ash's body still trembled and his vision was so blurry he couldn't see anything. All he could tell was that he was somewhere dark. He heard a noise and it took a couple moments for him to decipher it as words.

"You're awake, good," a voice praised.

Ash blinked a couple times, but it only improved things a little. He was so disoriented he felt like he was going to throw up. He couldn't even talk. Finally after several _long_ moments, Ash began to recognize silhouettes of some sort of bedroom. Twitching his fingers confirmed he was sitting on a bed. He noticed a tall figure facing him at the foot of the bed. A person?

"Who's there?" the boy was finally able to croak. A formal, reassuring voice answered him.

"It's okay, my boy," it said. "You're safe now."

That really didn't answer his question. And safe? Safe from what? The last thing Ash remembered was training with his friends. Wait a second, so how did he get here? _What was going on? _The more Ash tried to remember and figure out things, the more his headache worsened and the more disoriented he became. He started to panic.

"What's going on?" he screeched.

He started to thrash. What he was fighting against, he didn't know, but he didn't care. He heard the voice trying to shush and calm him, but he ignored it. He wanted answers. Suddenly he heard a growl-like noise and the voice barked, "Persian, Hypnosis!"

Ash's racing panicked thoughts suddenly calmed and almost disappeared from his mind. His body froze when numbness and weakness crawled into his limbs. He was almost lulled back into sleep until the spell suddenly disappeared. Ash blinked, now alert and awake.

Like he thought, he was in some type of bedroom. It was simple and had a cabin-like design. He sat on a king-sized bed with satin white sheets. Ash looked up to the figure at the end of the bed again, but this time its features were clear and he saw it was a tall man.

He was dressed in an expensive-looking green-gray suit with some gold and purple touches. His expression was stern, but seemed to be making an attempt to be soft. He was well-built and the visible parts of his skin showed he was tanned. He had well-cut, sleeked back dark brown hair and piercing black eyes. Ash noticed a Persian sitting by his side. The man was nodding in approval.

"Well done," he complimented.

Ash moaned and cradled his head. "What happened?" he finally asked.

"You were kidnapped," the man answered simply, but was still trying to be soft. "I know you're confused. Your captor has a psychic Pokémon. He used it to create illusions and false memories for you."

"You know this how?"

The man smirked with an arrogant snort. "I had fortune of running into your captor outside. He really doesn't know how to keep his shut, plus it was easy to connect the dots. When your captor basically confessed he kidnapped you, I came in here."

Ash blinked several times, trying to connect the dots himself. The memory of Ash training with Iris and having lunch was fading fast. So that was all a dream… He tried to remember something that wasn't faded.

"I can't remember anything," Ash whimpered.

"Part of the psychic's fraud."

Then Ash realized something. The memory especially came back when the boy witnessed the Persian refusing to leave its master's side. Ash looked frantically around, searching for the yellow fur of his tiny friend.

"Pikachu!" he wailed. It only got worse as Ash's search led him to his belt. His Pokeballs were gone. "My Pokémon! Where are my Pokémon?"

"I caught our friend when he was fleeing in his truck. He had Pokémon with him. Most likely yours along with other victims'."

"We need to find them! Where is he?"

Ash's savior shrugged. "Beats me," he rumbled. "I wasn't exactly able to hold him back."

Ash's mouth gapped with he stared at the man with dismay. No memory, no Pokémon, no way to find them weither. To Ash's amazement, the man didn't seem that concerned. He opened his closed eyes and peered at Ash. The man's eyes made Ash feel like a dagger was digging into him.

"Don't worry," the man assured. "I think I know how to find him. Can you walk?"

Ash was about to reply that he could, but suddenly a wave of weakness enveloped his legs as if in protest. And just thinking about walking made him dizzy. Guess this "psychic Pokémon's" illusions were more powerful than he thought. Determined to find and save his friends, Ash pushed the spells away. He slid his legs over the side and dropped to the floor. Right when the trainer's feet hit the wooden floor, a powerful wave of nausea hit his mind, making him sway. The man leaned forward, as if he was preparing to lunge to Ash's aid.

Ash assured him he was okay as the attack subsided a little. When the trainer was confident in his strength, he walked around the bed to his accessories dumped on the floor. The man waited patiently while Ash slipped on his shoes, gloves and hat. After zipping his jacket, he nodded to his savior. The man nodded back, and they exited the room.

As they traveled toward the lobby with Persian trailing behind them, Ash asked, "Who are you, anyway?"

The man glanced at him. "Name's Giovanni."

Ash nodded. "I'm Ash!"

"Nice to meet you," Giovanni grumbled, but Ash sensed the man was just mocking him.

To fill the silence and learn more about his mysterious savior, Ash continued the conversation.

"Ssoo… why are you all the way out here?" Ash pointed towards his suit. "You're not really dressed for travel."

"I wasn't planning to travel long. I was taking a short trip while staying on the main roads. But when I noticed a building in the middle of nowhere, I got curious. Didn't know I was walking up to a thief's hideout; barely got out of the way of his truck when he tried to run me over." Suddenly Giovanni glanced at Ash curiously. "How do you know where we are? Didn't you say your memory was wiped?"

Ash blinked. How _did_ he know that? He closed his eyes in concentration as he rubbed his temples. He only glimpsed images of what he knew were his surroundings. He opened his eyes and announced, "I must've been able to see where I was before he knocked me out."

Giovanni grunted in understanding. Seconds later they found themselves outside. It was midnight, showing the land as a shadowed realm. The only light was the stars filling the black canopy and the quarter moon shining brilliantly. The building rested on the side of a rocky hill similar to Professor Oak's laboratory, looking over a wide road and forest below. Ash looked around, only to be disappointed with no sign of the thief or his Pokémon.

"Now what?" Ash asked.

Giovanni didn't reply. Instead, he reached into a pocket and pulled out a red and white Pokeball the size of a walnut. He pressed the button to expand it and tossed it toward the ground in front of them. A blob of blue-white light swirled before a Pokémon materialized.

It was a canine the same size as Persian with gray and black fur that gleamed in the moonlight. Two stripes of thick black fur stretched from its head to its bushy tail. It owned fierce yellow and red eyes that glared at everything in sight. Sharp, white teeth flashed as its black lips were slightly drawn back. Ash recognized it as a Mightyena. Giovanni didn't hesitate to get right to it.

"Mightyena, Odor Sleuth," he ordered.

Mightyena snorted in confirmation and bent its head down. It sniffed the ground madly for a few minutes, even crawling several feet away. Meanwhile, Ash peered up at Giovanni. The man noticed his questioning glance and explained.

"Mightyena are known for their great tracking abilities," he informed. "Odor Sleuth will help strengthen Mightyena's tracking and find the thief."

"But you said he could be anywhere!" Ash protested.

"My Persian wasn't happy when he tried to kill me. It was able to do damage his truck. That should slow down his process, or even stop him all together."

Ash looked back at Mightyena, a little skeptical. A few minutes later, the dog suddenly froze and threw its head up, giving a couple excited barks.

"Mightyena found the trail," Giovanni announced.

"Then let's go!" Ash exclaimed. Maybe things weren't so bad after all. Ash was about to jump into a sprint, even taking a step forward, until he was abruptly pulled back by his collar. He couldn't help but gag as it tugged on his throat. Ash stumbled but was able to regain his balance as Giovanni said sternly, "Hold on, I'm not running all the way there."

"But he's getting away!"

"Whether he's in a racecar or on foot, he'll still go the same way. We'll follow his trail, which should lead us to him. I'm too old to sprint for several miles for no reason. Besides, our confrontation won't be very heroic if we're exhausted."

Ash sighed, knowing he had a point. Even though it killed him, he stayed by Giovanni's side as the Mightyena led them into the forest. The humans and Persian walked casually as the canine trotted several paces ahead, its nose buried in the dirt.

* * *

**A/N: This part was inspired by the episode "Beheeyem, Duosion, and the Dream Thief!" Team Rocket is one of my favorite Teams, so I had a random idea: What if the Dream Thief kidnapped Ash and Giovanni had to save him? The training part was what I originally was going to write, but I liked the Dream Thief idea better, so I combined the two.**


	3. Chapter 2

It felt like forever had past when Mightyena finally slowed down with a whimper. It glanced at its companions before turning back to the bush in front of it, angling its ears forward. Ash glanced at Giovanni, where the man nodded. He waved Ash to stay behind him as he crept towards Mightyena, crouching a little. Ash cautiously followed his example. The group peered through the branches to see their target.

A gray steel square-like van was parked on the edge of the clearing. The back bumper was hanging off with several holes in the back. One of the back tires was badly damaged. Looks like Giovanni was telling the truth when he said his Persian wasn't happy.

Attending the trashed tire was a man probably in his early thirties. He had bushy olive-colored hair that spiked in all directions and brown eyes. He was wearing an all-black outfit: pants, jacket, boots, and gloves. He was so focused on his work that he was oblivious to his surroundings, even his Pokémon that hovered around him.

It was a humanoid creature slightly taller than Ash. It appeared as if it was wearing a black dress with white ribbons. Its head looked like a bow-tie as there were pig-tails fanning out of each side of its head. It wore a solemn and bored expression, fulfilling its appearance as a Goth. It was a Gothitelle, a psychic Pokémon in Unova. Ash remembered meeting one on Skyarrow Bridge, where it created an illusion that brought him and his friends to the past. He was well aware of it abilities to manipulate the mind, so it made sense that this was Pokémon that forced him to dream.

"Now what do we do?" Ash whispered, his voice barely audible.

Giovanni pointed at Gothitelle. "We need to take out the Pokémon, first."

Before Ash could say another word, Giovanni ordered, "Mightyena, use Dark Pulse."

The canine growled before leaping out of its hiding spot. It opened its jaws, and swirling black energy pulsed through the air. The attack directly slammed into Gothitelle before it had a chance to figure out what was going on. A cloud of smoke exploded and the poor Pokémon was sent flying. The thief jumped to his feet and looked around wildly.

"What the hell?" he exclaimed, his eyes narrowed in fury. Giovanni took this as his cue to walk into the open beside his Mightyena. The thief widened his eyes for a moment before becoming furious. "You!"

"You really didn't think I would sit there, did you?" Giovanni replied in a mock-like tone. Not wanting to miss the action, Ash ran out with Persian by his side. Giovanni acted like he didn't notice, but when the kidnapper noticed his prisoner had escaped, he was on the verge of going crazy.

The man snarled before he pointed at the group and yelled, "Gothitelle, put them to sleep!"

Suddenly Gothitelle flew out of nowhere and faced them. Its eyes suddenly began to glow white and it raised its palms towards them. Ash was afraid he was going have to go through it all again, but Giovanni was still composed. The man pulled out another Pokeball and tossed it in front of him.

"Safeguard!" he ordered to the Pokémon materializing.

A large dragon appeared. It was all yellow except for its creamy underside and talons with blue wings. It had a tentacle spouting above each eye, and a pointy horn right on top of its head. It was bulky, looking capable of pounding anything into submission. Ash's mouth gapped at the newly formed Dragonite.

Just before Gothitelle's spell kicked in, Dragonite glowed and suddenly a veil-like dome surrounded the newcomers. It was transparent green, humming softly with power. Ash let out a sigh of relief when a minute passed and nothing happened. The thief was outraged: pulling his hair and stomping his feet.

"Shadow Ball!" he yelled.

Gothitelle cut of its attack and angled its palms to face each other. An orb of shadow-like energy formed between its hands. When it was ready, Gothitelle pulled it behind its head and flung it full force at Dragonite. The attack shattered the Safeguard's wall and slammed right into Dragonite's chest. The dragon yelped as a white explosion engulfed it. Ash flinched, but as usual, Giovanni was unfazed, only narrowing his eyes.

When the explosion cleared, Dragonite was revealed. Ash stared in awe as the dragon-type was unscathed. It was only shaking its head to clear it vision. The thief let out a dismayed cry. Giovanni smirked and went on to the next attack.

"Dragonite, use Dragon Rush!" he commanded.

Dragonite let out a small roar and flapped its wings. Immediately it was enveloped in an intense light as dragon energy surrounded it. Dragonite's silhouette could barely be seen in the mass. The energy trailed behind it as the dragon charged straight for Gothitelle. The Astral Body Pokémon froze in fear, having Dragonite hit it dead on. There was a pained cry as Gothitelle was pushed flat on its back and Dragonite soared into the air. It ended the attack, having the energy cloak disperse. But Giovanni wasn't done yet.

He raised his hand and shouted, "For good measure, finish it with Aerial Ace!"

Ash blinked in surprise. Both Dark Pulse and Dragon Rush were both critical hits. That should be enough. But he could only watch as Dragonite charged towards a fallen Gothitelle at a break neck speed. The dragon slammed into its victim, sending a large could of dust into the air. Ash could hear cracking sounds from inside the cloud. Now that was _definitely _overkill. The thief screamed, helpless to assist his Pokémon.

When the dust finally cleared, a small crater filled with cracks was revealed. An unconscious and battered Gothitelle could be seen in its center. Dragonite stood on the rim of the crater, glaring at its defeated opponent. When it realized it had won, it let out a fearsome roar of victory.

Ash didn't know who stared at the scene in shock more: him or the thief. A long silence past before the thief finally bent his body backwards and let out a scream of pure rage. He turned on Giovanni and glared at him. He yelled a stream of curses at the older man, none of them appropriate for a ten-year-old to hear. Ash was about to cover his ears until Giovanni had enough.

"Dragonite, shut him up," the man growled.

The dragon flew over to the thief and landed behind him. Before the guy could run away, the dragon tucked its stubby arms under his, locking him in place. The man flailed, but his arms hung uselessly and his legs couldn't get very far. Ash stayed in place, staring, as Giovanni made his way over to his prisoner.

Ash saw him pull out a weird device out of his pocket. It looked like some sort of tracking bracelet like you see on TV. The thief was too busy struggling to notice Giovanni's approach, but blinked when he suddenly clipped it on Dragonite's wrist. Ash mirrored the thief's surprise. He expected Giovanni to place it on the criminal, not his own Pokémon. Suddenly Dragonite's eyes glazed over and its movements almost appeared zombie-like.

"It's time you learn a lesson," Giovanni told the criminal.

Dragonite took off, shooting hundreds of feet in the air in seconds. Ash could hear its prisoner's screams of fear and rage. For a moment Ash was afraid that Dragonite would drop the man, but instead it continued to soar towards the horizon and disappear from sight. Giovanni spoke up before Ash had the chance to ask.

"My Dragonite will take him to a police station," he explained, then added with a grin, "I'm sure they would _love_ to meet him." He jerked his head toward the back of the truck. "Let's retrieve your Pokémon, shall we?"

Ash nodded and ran over to the truck. He threw the double doors open and clambered in. Inside were a dozen boxes filled with various supplies. But the trainer ignored all of them and immediately noticed the one that was shoved into the corner of the storage place. The box was actually a steel cage, with a sad little yellow rodent curled in its center.

"Pikachu!" he exclaimed.

The Pokémon perked its ears up and looked around with a murmur. When it confirmed it was his best friend, Pikachu's depression disappeared with an excited cry. It hopped to the edge of the cage as Ash ran over to it. He curled his fingers in the tiny holes of the web-like wire. Ash and Pikachu laughed that they were reunited. But Ash quickly realized there was a problem. He looked over his shoulder to see Giovanni peering at them outside the truck.

"Can you help me free my Pikachu?" the boy asked him.

Giovanni simply nodded and then snapped his fingers. Suddenly a cream-colored blob shot into the truck. Ash felt himself being shoved aside as Persian charged towards the cage. Pikachu barely managed to clamber out of the way as Persian attacked the steel with a powerful Slash. The side of the cage facing Ash was shredded in seconds.

Never less, Persian stepped aside as Pikachu leaped at Ash and his trainer tightly embraced him. Persian traveled back to Giovanni's side as Ash finally set Pikachu down. Now that he freed his friend, it was time to find out what was in the boxes and search for his other Pokémon. He opened a possible box to reveal that it was cramped full with Pokeballs, all occupied with Pokémon. He opened the box next it to find the same thing.

"There must be dozens!" he breathed.

"Just find yours and let's go," Giovanni ordered firmly. "I'll pick up the Pokémon out here."

Ash glanced at him, eyes wide. "But we can't just leave them here!"

"Don't worry."

Giovanni pulled out another device from his suit. How much stuff did he have? The device was circular and an inch thick. It was made of dark gray steel with a tiny light on the top. When Giovanni pressed it against the truck, it stuck in place and the light began to blink. The man turned to Ash again to explain.

"This is a tracking device," he announced. "The device I gave Dragonite before was filled with information about our situation which I believe the police should know. It should inform them of this location."

Ash cocked an eyebrow. "I don't remember you doing all of this."

"I planned ahead."

And with that, the duo went to their separate tasks. Ash rummaged through the Pokeballs, trying to find his while Giovanni recalled his Mightyena. When the man was able to find Gothitelle's Pokeball, he recalled that as well and tossed into the truck. Persian stayed outside, as it was Giovanni's most faithful partner. Giovanni didn't even know where Persian's Pokeball _was_.

A few minutes passed when both were ready to go and the new acquaintances disappeared into the woods.

* * *

**A/N: Starting now I'm most likely going to start updating during the weekends. Sorry guys, I just have no time during the week. But if I happen to get the chance, I'll go ahead and do it. And thanks for reading; I never expected so many people to like it so fast!**


	4. Chapter 3

The group set up camp over a mile away. Ash wanted to continue, since he had been asleep for who-knows-how-long, but Giovanni—having a slightly more eventful day and far older—couldn't keep up. Another reason was that they had found the perfect shelter: a small cave dug into some rocks while thick trees protected the entrance. It was warm and cozy inside with no creepy substances.

Now the humans sat on opposite sides of the fire, backs leaning against the wall. Their Pokémon were snuggled at the corners of the cave. The fire was created with dry sticks Giovanni salvaged with Tepig's Ember attack. Ash had learned the nearest city was Nimbasa, a few days away. That was weird… Ash was able to remember he was just in Nimbasa.

Ash's amnesia wasn't that severe at all. He could remember his personal life and his experiences across Unova. He even remembered events that happened in Nimbasa City. Giovanni had even asked him a series of personal questions and trivia just to be sure, and Ash answered them all correctly. The only thing wrong with Ash was that the memories he thought were real were disappearing quickly, proving otherwise. That and the fact Ash couldn't remember anything leading up to the kidnapping, or at least his current situation. Yeah, that didn't sound like a big deal, but you would think your subconscious would label that timeframe, you know?  
"What is the last thing you remember?" Giovanni asked.

Ash looked down in thought. He remembered Nimbasa. Let's see… there was Team Rocket... his Gym battle… the touring the city with Iris… the Stamp Rally… the Subway Bosses… oh, yeah!

"I remember talking to Ingo and Emmet, the Subway Bosses," Ash announced. "They were telling me that the drawbridge was fixed and I could cross it to Driftveil City."

"Anything after that?"

Ash lowered his head in disappointment. "No."

Giovanni thought for a moment, pondering with possibilities. "It could be possible that was when you were taken. That you were knocked out at that moment."

"Maybe…" That didn't feel like the case to Ash, but with everything going on, he didn't protest. Thinking about that memory depressed the boy. "I hope my friends are okay."

"Friends?"

"Yeah, I was traveling with Cilan—you know, the Gym Leader from Striaton City?—and this girl from the Village of Dragons, Iris." Ash glanced at Giovanni. "Do you think they're looking for me?"

Giovanni shrugged. "Possibly, I don't see why they wouldn't."

Ash tried to piece together his broken mind. He sensed images flashing through his mind, but when he tried to grab them, they would disappear and he would only be greeted with a headache. After several minutes of struggling and no satisfaction, Ash threw a tiny tantrum: he stomped his feet and pumped his fists while growling. Giovanni, who zoned out for a moment, blinked at his sudden outburst.

"Why don't I remember anything?" Ash demanded. He ignored Giovanni's earlier suggestion of what happened. Giovanni sighed.

"That Gothitelle worked hard to interfere with your mind," he explained. "Your subconscious is trying to separate fantasy from reality, stimulating memory loss."

"Is there any way to speed up the process?"

"There's no way to tell. Another psychic, maybe, but I'm afraid we don't have one. Back tracking and trying to relive old memories is also good idea; that's why I decided to walk back to Nimbasa instead of going with the police."

Ash let out a defeated sigh and planted his palms on his hanging head. It felt like something was on the tip of his tongue… and he should remember it. Giovanni's voice interrupted before he played the mind game all over again.

"Try to get some sleep," the man instructed. "We have a long day tomorrow."

"Not tired," Ash argued in a grumpy voice like a toddler. He was also reluctant to go to sleep due to the fact he didn't have any supplies. All he had were the clothes on his back. Sleeping on a bare rocky floor didn't sound comfortable.

He wasn't expecting what Giovanni did next. The tall man stood up and casually walked around the fire to him. He slid down to the floor next to Ash, his back against the wall as well. Before Ash could protest, Giovanni's thick arm was around his shoulders with the other wrapped around his torso. Ash found himself with his head snuggled in Giovanni's chest as the man's arms wrapped protectively around him. Ash blinked, surprised by Giovanni's sudden compassion.

He noticed a sleepy Pikachu glancing at them, with Persian staring at them with one eye. Ash felt self-conscious with Persian, as he felt the cat didn't like the idea of its master giving attention to someone else. Even though he was originally restless, Ash found his eyes drooping. He cuddled against Giovanni, his warm body and protective nature comforting the boy. Ash was asleep in mere moments.


	5. Chapter 4

Ash's eyes blinked open. He had a moment of disorientation before recognizing the walls of the cave. He lay on his side on the floor, the same spot as last night. He slowly sat up as he observed the few changes. Late morning sunlight poured into the cave, yellow light filling it except for the dancing shadows of the branches outside and darkness in the very corners. The fire in the center was burned out, leaving a pile of scorched sticks and blackened ashes.

"Pika!"

Ash jumped as Pikachu streaked from the corner of his eyes and tackled him, squirming onto his lap. Ash giggled and petted him.

"Hey, Pikachu," he greeted. "Good morning."

It was then Ash noticed a pile of various types of berries neatly stacked next to him. His stomach automatically rumbled loudly. Who knows when the last time he ate? He gave a few berries to Pikachu, and then gobbled down the rest. Pikachu ate his share as well except for two berries. Ash inhaled those to finish up. When the boy was satisfied and realized Giovanni was missing, he wiped the berry juice from his mouth and crawled outside.

At the entrance he noticed Giovanni standing on top of a boulder nearby. His hands were in his pockets as he stared at the horizon with a stern glare.

"Hey!" Ash called, waving.

Giovanni snapped out of his doze and looked towards the sound. He grinned softly when he noticed Ash.

"Sleep well?" he asked.

Ash nodded rapidly like a bobble-head. Giovanni nodded in approval and jumped off the rock in a fluid motion. In the same moment Persian came streaking from behind another rock and made its way near him. And to think Ash and Pikachu were close. As Giovanni neared, Ash thanked him, "Thanks for the berries."

"Figured you would need them."

He looked around, his once intimidating gaze now gleaming with interest in the landscape.  
"Shall we continue?" he asked in a friendly tone.

Ash ignored his sudden change in mood. His savior was becoming more and more mysterious each minute. The most curious was that Giovanni claimed he was a traveler, yet didn't seem one like one at all. Yet he was willing to escort Ash all the way to Nimbasa City, when it was obvious it was out of his way. But this man pretty much saved his life, so why wouldn't Ash trust him? And Giovanni was so protective towards him…

Without much more conversation, they headed off down the road towards their destination.

* * *

Most of the walk was filled with silence. Ash and his friends usually talked on their travels, only being quiet when they were in a doze. Giovanni sorta looked like he was in a doze, but Ash sensed he didn't feel like talking. Ash felt the opposite, wishing to run his mouth or do some sort of distracting activity instead of staring at his feet. When he was able to start up a conversation with Giovanni, it would only be chitchat and brief.

This was really the guy that went out of his way to save him? Giovanni really was mysterious. Probably a few hours of no-talking passed when surprising Giovanni started up a conversation. More surprisingly this one was a little longer.

"So what was your starter?" he asked. As part of the trivial questions, Giovanni had asked Ash what was his home region.

"Pikachu, of course."

Giovanni raised his eyebrows. "Pikachu?" He paused for a moment before stating, "Um, you do know there are three others?"

Ash giggled. "Yeah. I slept in so late I missed my turn. All they have left was Pikachu." Before anyone could send him a questioning glance, Ash quickly added, "But I'm really happy it turned around that way. I mean, Pikachu is the greatest best friend I ever had. And I would have never met him if it wasn't for that."

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, throwing a fist in the air with a happy expression.

"That's quite an intriguing tale. I would consider myself special. All I got was a Squirtle."

"You're from Kanto?" Giovanni didn't mention that. When he nodded his confirmation, Ash couldn't help but show his excitement. "Really? Oh, cool!"

Ever since he left Professor Juniper's house, he barely came across people from another region, especially Kanto. He usually didn't mind it much, and honestly most of the time he didn't think about it. After all, it was fun to go someplace completely new. But after some time of realizing you have nothing in common with the people surrounding you, even Ash started to feel self-conscious. He felt especially homesick when some people confessed they never even heard of Kanto. The boy could also tell Pikachu was getting tired of people staring at him and questioning about his origin. Now that he _finally _found someone he could talk about home with, Ash didn't hesitate to grasp the opportunity.

"So what city are you from?" he asked, voice louder and more high-pitched with joy.

"Viridian," Giovanni replied.

"I'm from Pallet!"

"Is that so? I heard it's a beautiful town."

"So is Viridian."

Giovanni smirked.

"I went there a few times," Ash went on. "I even had a couple Gym battles."

Suddenly something flashed in Giovanni's eyes. "Oh?"

"Yeah, the first was my Gym Battle there and the second was against Agatha of the Elite Four."

"How did your battles go?"

"Well, the first was really weird but I got my Gym Badge. The second was when Agatha was taking care of the Gym. I lost to her, but she claimed she was really impressed by me."

"Why was the first battle weird?"

"Um… you're not going to believe this, but when I challenged the Gym… it was being controlled by Team Rocket!"

"The criminal organization in Kanto?"

"Yeah! When I challenged them, they tried to cheat and rip me off! I only got the Gym Badge when they dropped it while it was being destroyed."

Ash's subconscious was startled when Giovanni's body suddenly turned rigid for a split moment and his fingers twitched. He pulled himself together before Ash really noticed. Though his next words were forced.

"That's… most curious."

Communication was cut off for the rest hour.

* * *

Ash was falling behind a few hours later. It was entering late afternoon, the sun hanging in the west side of the sky. The land was in a shade of darker yellow as the shadows continued to grow longer. Ash couldn't help but note if he was with his friends right now, they would be considering setting up camp soon.

But he wondered if it was worth bringing that up to Giovanni. The man had been traveling at a good pace all day, and he didn't look like he was going to stop anytime soon. He even denied stopping to rest a while back. Ash was starting to disbelieve his claim that he couldn't run. His Persian was the same, too. While the humans were casually walking, Persian had trotted most of the way. It even ran ahead a few times.

Ash and Pikachu were the opposite. Pikachu usually stayed on Ash's head and either walked beside or behind him. He had attempted to catch up to Persian as it was a fellow Kanto Pokémon, but the cat seemed to be avoiding him. Ash was good at staying by Giovanni's side, but several times he had fallen behind a few paces. He even begged a few times to take a break, but Giovanni only obeyed once with two minutes of rest. He usually just encouraged the boy until he sucked it up.

Now Ash trudged with Pikachu trotting beside him, Giovanni walking ahead. Persian was nowhere in sight. They were taking a shortcut through some forest, meeting back up with the roads a couple miles ahead. Ash looked up with dread as he felt the ground sloping up. Above him was a small ravine covered with dead leaves and thick branches of trees. Giovanni was hiking up it comfortably, not noticing Ash. A wave of soreness flowed through the kid's legs, desperately protesting not to have any more pressure added. That went away when Giovanni halted abruptly on the very top of the ravine.

"Well this is quite interesting," he commented.

Ash peered up at him. His form was silhouetted against the yellow and reddening sky before him. He was staring in the distance, his gaze obviously locked on something. Ash had no idea what from his poor angle. Curiosity sending a fresh wave of energy through his tired body, he and Pikachu trotted up the ravine and scampered next to Giovanni.

Ash gasped and Pikachu let out a surprised squeak. The boy was never expecting the sight that lay before him.

Before them lay a lake spreading across the landscape. It appeared like a sparkling crater in the thick forest that surrounded it. It was almost perfectly circular and a couple miles in diameter. It was beautiful.

Except it was covered in a thick sheet of ice.

It still shimmered as if it were water, but was deceived by the ice's white glow under the lowering sun. There where gray and pale blue discolorations in the ice, making it look like the moon's surface. It would be the perfect shot for a winter picture, but now it like Mother Nature got her seasons confused. It was only early autumn and it would be months before the lake looked even _near _this way, if it ever did freeze.

So with Persian finally joining them, the travelers stared at the misplaced sight with bewilderment.


	6. Chapter 5

**Key:**

**Black- criminal**

**Dark- pure evil**

* * *

On the other side of Unova, everything was still again. The mighty trees did not stir, their leaves not even rustling. The air was unmoving; making everything unearthly quiet and if there was a sound, it would echo. There wasn't even noise from the creatures of the forest, as they held their breath as well. At last, the realm moved when there was a great flap of wings.

Immediately branches and leaves began to dance as the trees bent over. Large clouds of dust flew in all directions, disturbing anything that happened to be in slumber. The air vibrated with a whooshing sound and began to circulate with the added warmth.

Much like before, Reshiram slammed her paws on the ground, making it tremble. She folded her wings on her back and she looked around with curiosity. The forest was finally coming alive, whispering about the arrival of the Legendary Dragon, but it was still quieter than usual. Reshiram was starting to take notice that more and more forests were becoming still.

But understanding nothing could be done for now, the Vast White Dragon continued on. This time she walked, stomping with each step and filling the air with crashing noises. Humph, maybe she should've flown a little longer. She had a feeling she would betray her presence faster this way.

She had no choice, though, as nearby was the village of Lacunosa. If she was seen from the sky, it would cause quite a commotion. She remembered the last time she was here with her previous hero, the people were apprehensive towards her. And judging from her vantage point from the sky, Lacunosa almost hadn't changed at all. So she decided to be safe rather than sorry.

She hushed her rampage as she came closer to the village. And as she neared even more, she decided it was time…

* * *

It wasn't very long later when a beautiful woman walked through the western gates of Lacunosa's walls.

She had an interesting outfit that was all pure-white, more so than fresh snow. She wore shorts that only stretched to half her thighs, but made up for the lack of leg clothing with boots that reached her knees. The boots had a two-inch thin heel, making a clacking sound with each step. She wore a sleeveless shirt with a small collar that hugged her neck. Wrapped around her outfit was a long coat that fell to her ankles with long sleeves that had to be folded back over her wrist. It looked a lot like a coat that old detectives wear, only difference that it was white and had much more buckles. But not one of them was closed, having her coat flap like a cape. The only jewelry she had was a pair of earrings that were in a shape of a curvy "9," the end sharpening to a point.

Matching her outfit, the woman had short pure-white hair. It wasn't very long at all as it was the same length most boys wear their hair. It was only slightly longer to fit her feminine appearance. Loose bangs fell to her eyebrows, waving with each movement. The only real color she had were her intense electric-blue eyes. She was well-tanned, so her skin stuck out of the pale clothing.

As the woman walked through the cobblestone streets of Lacunosa Town, she was well aware of many stares trained on her. As an isolated town filled with elders tied with old customs, the people were questionable towards strangers. Especially since this one was unusually dressed. Pokémon, however, would glance at the woman with either curiosity or awe before going about their business. They knew she was no threat. After all, it was only Reshiram.

There really wasn't anything special here; Reshiram was even wondering why she came. But Lacunosa was the closest town to where the incident with the Cryogonal happened and it had an interesting history. Plus it wasnear the Giant Chasm, where many ice-types resided. Maybe the dragon-in-disguise might learn something.

So as the people watched her, Reshiram subtly peered at them. Most of them were ordinary humans who had lived here most of their lives. The Pokémon were the same. It wasn't until she was almost on the other side of the town Reshiram came across some conspicuous humans.

They were dressed as citizens and appeared normal, but they seemed to be making too much of an attempt to stay unnoticed. Most of them had their heads bent down, averted eye contact, and avoided any form of touching. But even though, they were also subtly peering at their surroundings, especially at merged groups of Pokémon and humans. The most noticing feature was the Reshiram sensed black thoughts coming from them. Not as evil at the Cryogonal, but they wished to do crime that was part of a scheme to disturb the balance of Unova.

Reshiram suppressed the urge to growl. She understood who these people were. There were about five them, under the alias of a group of friends. As the dragon and criminals walked past each other, Reshiram noticed a necklace peeking out of one of the people's jacket. Hanging from the silver chain was an emblem shaped like a shield. The colors of the shield were split: black on one side and white on the other. Cutting through the colors was a blue "Z" with a "P" on top of it.

Reshiram only glimpsed the item for half-a-second before it was tucked back into the man's shirt. But having distinct eyesight, Reshiram saw it clearly and memorized it. She moved on, knowing nothing could be done for the troublemakers. Though she ran into someone similar a few streets away.

This one was all alone, allowing Reshiram to have a better look at her. The woman was also in civilian clothing: hiking khaki pants with an all-black sleeveless jacket. A heavy backpack was slung over her shoulders, hugging tightly to her. A large white and red beret-like hat covered her head, almost obscuring her face. Thick blonde curls could be seen merging from the girl's hat and also help hide her feature. She was doing a better job at blending in the crowd as a traveler, but her stalker was not fooled. The woman was peering subtly at her surroundings like Reshiram, but she was staring with much more curiosity. Reshiram sensed she was not from the region, but her ambitions were much darker than the previous group.

Of course, all Reshiram's internal instincts screamed for her to confront the stranger, but she had to reject the urge. She was not here to meddle with petty humans.

The dragon wandered around the town even longer, looking for any clues or leads. But the town betrayed no calamities, looking peaceful and organized. Reshiram was unable to isolate any Pokémon to talk to her, but they seemed at peace as well.

She had almost given up when she heard a scream. Once again, she halted, this time mid-stride, and listened. It was a human yell, just outside the village. And like before, there was more to it.

Without a moment's hesitation, Reshiram jumped into full sprint. She understood going to one of the gates would take too long, so she trotted up a nearby flight of stairs that lead to the top of the wall. Once she was reached the summit, she looked around to make sure there no one was around. When she confirmed she wasn't being watched, she darted to the other side of the wall with slipped off the edge, falling to the forest floor far below. Instead of breaking her neck like a normal human, Reshiram landed square on her feet, perfectly intact.

Once her feet hit the ground, the dragon didn't hesitate to continue her dash. In seconds, she came to a river. The water was crystal-clear and gleamed beautifully under the bright sun. It raced through the land it cut, churning and spitting with speed that made it look intimidating but even more unique at the same time. But the pretty sight was a scene of horror as there was a small crowd of panicked humans near the water's edge. Reshiram quickly heard the distressed wail of a mother.

"My baby! My baby!" she cried.

Reshiram quickly noticed a Drilbur huddled to the side, fear clear in his eyes. She trotted closer and asked it, "What's going on?"

"A young one fell into the river," the Drilbur explained. His voice was shaky as he carefully chose his words, but didn't hesitate to answer the guardian dragon.

Reshiram glanced over her shoulder. The river was beautiful, but its current betrayed it was also severely deadly. A young one, human or Pokémon, would be swept away in mere seconds. Even a grown adult would have difficult battling the waters. So Reshiram understood why no one was moving, especially this Drilbur. No one was strong enough to fight the currents. Except for one…

Without another word or thought, Reshiram dashed full speed towards the river. She was part fire-type, but being a dragon and that fact she was very strong helped. She even _liked _swimming. She wasn't really concerned as she sidestepped the nervous crowd and charged toward where the distressed mother's gaze was focusing on. Taking an impressive leap (but keeping within human standards), she dived headfirst into the water.

To her amazement, she already was face-to-face to a boy probably in his eighth year. At first she was confused; did the current sweep her away that fast? She was dreading the boy would be on the other side of the region. Then she realized that wasn't the case at all when she noticed the poor child's ankle caught in some rocks holding him in a vice grip. His head was just below the water's surface, making it look like he was being tortured.

The boy was thrashing wildly, desperately thinking his head could reach the surface. His loose clothes looked like they were about to fall off between the rapid movements and the current. Columns of bubbles surrounded his body, especially his face. Reshiram tried to near him, but she feared she couldn't reach him with his flailing limbs. She would have to comfort him.

Having limited psychic powers, Reshiram was able to reach his mind and speak to him telepathically, _"It is alright, little one. I know you are frightened, but you must be calm."_

The boy seemed to look about after hearing her strange voice. His confusion and fear was coming off in waves. He couldn't talk, but Reshiram could hear his thoughts.

_"Who's there?" _he asked. His mind was so young… _"Please! I'm scared!"_

_"Hold to your truths and they will save you."_

The boy calmed a little, mostly comforted by the sound of Reshiram's soothing voice. Even though his heart threatened to leap out of him and he was beyond panicked, he restricted his movements enough for Reshiram to near him. It was then she noticed the rock holding him wasn't rock at all. It was solid ice.

_How?_

Reshiram didn't allow herself to think about it. Though she did realize it might make things easier. She could easily melt the ice and free the boy.

Digging a heel on the river's bottom while both hands wrapped around the block of ice, Reshiram willed her hands to warm. A soft red glow came from her palms, the only thing betrayed the presence of intense heat. But to her horror, the ice didn't melt. She heated her hands even more. It felt like eternity passed before Reshiram noticed the ice retreated, but it was _far_ too slow. There was no time; the boy was growing weaker and his movements less radical.

Using her dug in foot, Reshiram kicked herself upward behind the boy. She wrapped her arms around his torso and made sure she had a firm grip. She used one foot to push against the rock and the other to pound at the ice viciously with small blasts of heat. The boy was almost limp when finally the ice gave in and his foot slipped free.

Not hesitating, Reshiram kicked the water and waved her arm, using her strength to propel her to the surface. She was greeted with intense sunlight and glorious fresh air. Even though she can hold her breath far longer than a human, she couldn't help but let out a desperate gasp. She barely heard the surprised gasps of the crowd. Reshiram bobbed in the current for a moment to recover before paddling towards the bank with one arm. Her left arm was wrapped around the boy's upper torso as she hugged him to her chest.

As she neared the bank, several male humans came up preparing to assist. Some hoisted Reshiram up while others gently pulled the weakened boy away. They carried him to the side of the clearing to a human who immediately started fussing over him. Reshiram realized the human was a healer. She let the humans help her to her feet, but then she slightly pulled away from them. Her breath had returned and since her clothes were actually fake, they weren't really wet. Last thing she needed was an observant human noticing. Plus it wasn't necessary to fuss over her.

As Reshiram stood to the side, she noticed the black human thoughts again. She looked over to see the earlier blonde and even one of the native criminals peering from different parts of the wood. They weren't planning anything; just cold observers watching with curiosity. With a snort, Reshiram forced herself to ignore them once again and let her minds wander to the incident.

Solid ice almost as hard as steel frozen at the bottom of a flowing river. Not only that, it captured a youngling and almost caused him a torturing death. It was impossible. Reshiram had hoped it was just a group of radical Cryogonal, but now it was becoming much more. She slowly turned to look at the direction of the Giant Chasm, the birthplace of ice and chaos.


	7. Chapter 6

Giovanni tapped the ice with the toe of his foot. The ice made a sound in sync with his hits, but that was the only evidence of his touch. The ice did not crack, dent, or even shaved.

"Solid, alright," he grumbled.

Ash was a couple feet away from him, staring at the lake with curiosity and awe. When he registered Giovanni's test, he decided to do his own.

"How bout this?" he suggested, taking a step. Giovanni glanced at him as the boy turned to his partner. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

"Pika!" Pikachu replied, loud and harsh with excitement.

The yellow rodent leaped into the air. He made a flip and willed energy to form in his tail. It suddenly began to glow with silver light. When the attack was fully charged, the Mouse Pokémon slammed it onto the ice. He gave a small gasp as his attack bounced off harmlessly. Pikachu landed back next to Ash.

The group stared at where the attack hit. The ice was perfectly unscathed. Giovanni blinked. That attack was impressive for a small Pikachu. It should have shattered its target, but it didn't do a thing.

"Now that's _really _weird," Ash commented.

Giovanni nodded with an "mm-hm."

"I wonder how thick it is."

"Well obviously it's deep, considering—"

The man couldn't finish as Ash's tiny body suddenly shot past him. Ash leaped onto the ice and raced across it. In seconds he was yards away. Giovanni stared after him in surprise, and when he finally figured out what happened, he threw his hands up and bellowed in rage, "ASH!"

The boy ignored him.

Giovanni snorted. "Fine, drown for all I care," he growled. It wouldn't be the first time he witnessed someone falling through ice.

The ice only made _thumping _sounds with each of Ash's steps; never cracking under his weight or showing signs of danger. The ice was a little slippery, but he was able to keep his balance. He ran about twenty yards out until finally turning around and headed back towards the bank. He noticed Giovanni watching him with his arms crossed.

When Ash finally jumped back onto land, he quickly sensed Giovanni's glare boring into him. Even though it intimidated him, Ash willed himself to turn and face the towering man. Giovanni had a stern expression as he scolded the trainer.

"That was foolish, boy," he hissed, his voice almost menacing.

"I just trying out an idea, that's all," Ash replied innocently. He pointed across the lake. "The ice is the same further out. It didn't feel like I was walking on ice at all." As he stared, he mused, "I wonder how it is in the center."

Giovanni was done fuming when he heard that comment. He snatched the back of Ash's jacket and pulled him several feet away from the lake. Ash grunted in protest, but stayed in his new spot, getting the message. Giovanni stared back at the ice, thinking. It was impenetrable. In autumn. How was that possible?

He realized nothing could be done, and finally took notice of his surroundings.

The sun had descended dramatically: lazily hanging over the horizon and coloring the sky with scarlet light. It would set within the hour, and it wouldn't be long before he and Ash were in complete darkness.

"Let's find a place to camp," he suggested. "There should be shelter around here somewhere."

"What?" Ash exclaimed. Even though he was curious, the ice-covered lake unnerved him. Something about it… Sleeping near it almost terrified him. "You're not actually thinking staying near this thing?"

"It'll take too long to find shelter elsewhere."

"We walked last night!"

"And we walked all day. We need rest."

And with that, Giovanni walked away, heading toward the forest. Ash muttered under his breath and followed the man, pouting. He stuck both hands in his pockets and trudged through the grass. It would be a _long_ night…

Not long later, though, Giovanni found a thick grove of trees with a clearing in the center. The night's stars were visible in the sky by the time they had set up camp. They had started the fire like last night, but since they were in a woody area, Giovanni had a basin dug with rocks circling around the edge. Ash didn't admit he would've never thought of that…

As once again they on other side of the clearing nibbling on gathered berries, Ash spoke up.

"So how do you think the lake got that way?" he asked.

"It's probably the aftermath of some battle between ice-types," Giovanni guessed.

Ash narrowed his eyes as he thought about. He had been in a lot of regions and met a lot of Pokémon, but he couldn't think of any ice-types powerful enough to freeze an entire lake. And were any ice-types in this area? Ash sighed. Who knows… There were also a lot of things he didn't know about Unova. Maybe Giovanni was right.

Another hour passed and the group was settling down for sleep. Ash took off his jacket and neatly folded into a makeshift pillow. He plopped down on the ground, his legs killing him. Pikachu came over and curled next to him, also exhausted. Giovanni doused the fire and walked over to another tree. He slid down and huddled against it. His Persian wandered to a shadowy bush and curled into a tight ball. It wanted privacy for tonight.

A few minutes passed, and the entire group was fast asleep.

* * *

Ash was somewhere dark again. Dark and freakishly cold. It took a few minutes for Ash to recognize he was in some sort of cave. The ominous walls were dark and obscured, having a dark aura surround them. Wispy ropes of mist danced through the air, hugging anything in sight. As the boy looked around, he truly started to understand how cold it was.

The stone surrounding him was radiating with ice-cold temperature, feeding the frigid air. Ash thought he noticed some parts of the rock looked different, and with he realized it was _frozen_. Little beads of ice were impeded in the wall, making it slightly sparkle. The mist glimmered as well, signaling it also had ice particles. A large cloud of steam came with each of Ash's breath. Suddenly he began to shiver as the cold found his body and began to bury into his skin. He quickly wrapped his arms around his torso, hands grasping his shoulders.

Ash let out a small gasp as suddenly a giant _BOOM _reverberated the area. Before the boy could even wonder what it was, another filled the air. This time he let out a whimper. Several more followed, right after another in a rhythmic pattern. Quickly Ash noticed the sounds were coming closer… towards _him_.

But before he could run for it, or even turn around, they appeared. Ash gave a startled yelp as two glowing yellow eyes the size of basketballs blinked open in front of him. He started to stumble backwards as the eyes seemed to glare at him. Finally he tripped over his own feet and fell on his rump. He used to his arms to hold him up at he gazed as the monster before him.

It was silhouette of some sort of dragon-like creature. It was _huge_; almost filling up the entire cavern. The only color visible was its two empty eyes. Ash couldn't see any of its features as the mist carefully obscured everything.

He found himself shivering like crazy between fear and the frigid air that grew colder each second. He watched with wide eyes as what he assumed to be the dragon's head lower towards him. He found his scream caught in his throat, making him completely mute. As the head neared, the monster's jaws began to part, revealing rows of needle-like teeth. In seconds the teeth were lining the corners of Ash's vision as he stared into the black throat of the monster. The mouth neared and Ash finally screamed.

Ash jolted awake and shot up into a sitting position, still yelling. It was like he waking up all over again, this time it was much worse. The cold was still hugging his clothes, having him tremble with fear added. Beads of sweat trickled down his face and had his clothes clung to his body. He panted heavily, trying to regain his stolen breath.

He didn't register Giovanni stirring from the commotion. The man blinked his eyes open to see a traumatized Ash. He was immediately startled.

"Ash?" he softly breathed. "What's wrong?"

No reply. Giovanni crawled into a crouching position and crept towards the boy, ignoring the questioning murmurs of their awakening Pokémon.

"Ash?" Giovanni tried again, this time softly placing a hand on his shoulder.

Immediately Ash started and shot a wild look at Giovanni, but relaxed a little when he realized it was just him. Giovanni decided to question the boy.

"Was it a nightmare?" he asked.

Ash only nodded, but still too scared to do anything else. _The dream was so real. _Giovanni gently wrapped his thick arms around the boy's shoulders. This time Ash didn't huddle against him, instead he seemed to want to pull away. But he tolerated Giovanni, secretly wanting the man's security.

* * *

The next day Giovanni was more pitiful towards Ash. Instead of being several paces ahead, he stayed by the boy's side, even when he was trudging pathetically slow. After days of no real sleep, none-stop traveling, and staying up for most of the night, Ash barely had energy left.

"What's the rush, anyway?" Ash grumbled.

"You want to find your friends, right?" Giovanni probed.

"For all we know they're looking for me." Oh, yeah, Ash was pretty grumpy now, too.

"Maybe… But we might find a good lead in Nimbasa City."

"What lead?"

Giovanni sighed, trying not to get impatient with the boy. Persian stalked behind the man's heels while Pikachu was perched on his trainer shoulder. When he sensed Ash's foul mood, he tried to encourage him with a few murmurs. Ash grinned slightly and rubbed Pikachu's cheek. Pikachu smiled, but Ash went back to sulking.

"So what was your nightmare about, anyway?" Giovanni questioned.

That didn't help Ash's mood. "Nothing."

"It didn't seem like nothing last night."

"I don't want to talk about it!"

Giovanni swallowed his growing temper. If he knew Ash would be this difficult he would've left him. One of the reasons the child was so foul was that the nightmare kept repeating in his mind over and over. And it was vivid each time. The dream was so real, and the fear wasn't going away. Ash really didn't know what he was afraid of; it was just that… it was hard to explain.

"Let's take a rest," Giovanni surprising suggested. Maybe a break might help the young trainer.

Ash didn't reply. Instead, he simply veered his course toward a shady spot in the woods. Giovanni and Persian followed him.

Once Ash reached one of the trees, he plopped down and heavily leaned against it. Pikachu hopped from his shoulder to the ground. He turned towards his master and placed his front paws on his knee. He peered up at Ash, but the trainer was so exhausted he ignored the mouse. Giovanni settled nearby, Persian laying its head and paws on his lap. Ash eyes slowly opened to see the purring cat. He forced his head up and pointed at it.

"So is your Persian a girl or boy?" he asked Giovanni.

Suddenly a growl came from Persian's throat. Giovanni chuckled in amusement. He petted the cat while he shushed it.

"Sorry, my Persian is sensitive," he apologized. "To answer your question: Persian is female."

Ash glanced at it. _Who would've known… _he thought. He closed his eyes and lulled into a doze. A few minutes later he blinked his eyes open to see Giovanni's face as the man gently shook his shoulder.

"Come on," the man whispered, "time to go."

Ash let out a soft moan. A few minutes later, the group of travelers was on the road again.

* * *

Later that afternoon, the duo had one of their most awkward conversations. Giovanni was walking in front of Ash, his Persian trotting beside him. Ash had improvedl with keeping up, his Pikachu dozing on his head. Suddenly the man felt the child's gaze boring into him. He looked over his shoulder to see Ash's narrowed curious stare.

"May I help you?" Giovanni questioned.

"Have we met before?" Ash replied with his own question.

Giovanni blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Like… did we meet before all this happened? You look kinda familiar…"

It was then the older trainer noticed Pikachu watching him with the same questioning gaze. Giovanni rolled his eyes. Where did this come up? Suppressing a sigh, he replied, "No, I don't believe so."

"You sure?"

"I never forget a face. If we met before I would've remembered. You must have me confused with someone else."

Ash wasn't fully convinced, so he continued to stare at Giovanni while the man ignored him, pretending not to notice. Ash wondered about it before, but pushed it aside, thinking it was just his memory being weird. Now that he thought about it, his savior looked _really _familiar. But because Ash's world was so perfect, he couldn't place where. He could only hope that everything would come together really soon.


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry if the next few chapters seem slightly rushed. Long story short I lost these and had to retype them when I was ****_very _****eager to go on with the story.**

* * *

Reshiram snatched a low-hanging branch thick with leaves in front of her. She pulled it up over her head and ducked underneath it. Some of the sticky greens scraped the top of her head, slightly tugging her hair. Yes, she was still in human form.

She thought it would be easier than flying above, since she still did not want to attract attention. Little did she know the forest was so thick. She didn't remember this place being so untamed, almost proving that fact this place had grown during her slumber. She was still impressed how her region had changed. Castelia City, for example, was large during her time, but she never imagined how advanced it would grow. Much more was different, too: forgotten cites replaced by new ones, new cultures, and even Pokémon.

Reshiram broke her thoughts as suddenly she stepped out into a small field. It was lined with short but lush grass, stretching to each tree line in each direction. Ahead of her was a brown building. It was two stories high: a large first floor with a loft on top. The roof was slanted on one side and reached halfway down the building, shaping a triangle with the rest of the building box-like. The building was made of dark brown wood, and obviously old.

White streaks of faded paint littered the walls and there was rot in unchecked places. There were even a couple signs of loose planks, creaking in the soft wind. The building looked like it would collapse any minute, or at least abandoned, but it was actually still in use.

Outside the large double doors of the main entrance was a cart of hay tied to an orange tractor. A lone human was walking back and forth: taking a bale of hay from the cart, walking into the barn and coming back out empty-handed.

The human was an older male, but not yet an elder. He was tall and skinny, but his muscles rippled under his skin after years of work. He had mangy dark brown hair with white streaks of age, almost exactly like his building. He wore tattered tan pants and a plaid red shirt with long sleeves.

He didn't notice Reshiram until she walked up; even grabbing the same bale at the same time he did to gain his attention. He blinked in surprise. Reshiram just replied with a warm smile.

"May I assist you?" she asked.

The man still stared at her. After a moment, he finally blinked out of his trance. His voice was slurred accent and filled with friendliness as he replied, "Nah, this ain't work for a beautiful thing like you."

"I'm stronger than I look."

Before another word could be said, Reshiram yanked the hay away and walked towards the barn, holding the bale with one hand. The inside of the barn was warm and stuffy, the smell of hay and dust in the air. Rays of bright sunshine glowed through the windows and planks, illuminating the building. To Reshiram's right was an open room filled with rectangular bales of hay. The bales were stacked against the wall, making a wall of their own with sections of neatly stacked piles branching out. Reshiram set her donation on the nearest pile and turned to see the farmer watching her.

When he was convinced the stranger was determined and useful, he allowed her assistance and went back to work. As both picked up another hay, he commented, "Don't get much visitors up here."

"I'm just passing through," Reshiram replied.

"Where ya headed?"

Reshiram paused for a moment, wondering if she should inform him. Deciding he might have useful information, she confessed.

"The Giant Chasm."

The man suddenly froze, his body turning rigid. He awkwardly dropped his load onto the pile. After a long moment, he gulped and forced himself to turn to Reshiram, his movements very stiff. Meeting Reshiram's curious glance, he forced himself to say, "Dey say that place is cursed, ya know."

The dragon-in-disguise raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

The man paused for another second before finally shaking his head to clear his foolish thoughts. "Ah, don't mind me, just silly folk tales."

Reshiram glanced at him. She felt guilty making him uncomfortable, but he was the only one willing to talk. She pushed on.

"May I hear them?"

"It's a long story."

"I'm in no hurry."

The farmer tilted his head in thought. At last, he began,

"Long ago, this land was a beautiful and peaceful place. People and Pokémon from all over the world would travel for miles for come here. In charge of most of the land was Lacunosa Town. Now, that place was somethin' to talk about. Anyway, this part of the region was almost paradise.

"But that all changed when suddenly disaster struck. A giant meteor of ice fell from the heavens, and crashed on the outskirts of Lacunosa Town. Sent Pokémon runin'. And the humans, being the curious fellows we are, inspected it. When dey did, a fearsome monster emerged. It was the most vicious creature ever to exist on the planet. It would go on rampages, blowin' up anythin' in its path, and scarfin' down any poor creature that came across it.

"Then it attacked Lacunosa Town. At night, it would raid the town and kidnap people and Pokémon alike to take back to its lair for a snack. Daylight hours, it would lock itself in its lair. Those who were taken were never seen again. Finally, the people of Lacunosa decided to try somethin'.

"They built a large wall surrounding their village and made new laws to protect demselves. One of the major ones was that no one was out after sunset. It almost worked. The monster came up and clawed desperately at the walls, wailing at the top of its lungs, but no avail. People started to calm down, but then the worst happened. The monster taught itself how to fly and get over the walls.

"When it did, it went on the worst rampage of all. In rage, it almost leveled the town by morning. It returned home, thinkin' of coming back. But the folks had enough. They pulled demselves together and waited for the monster. When it came, dey attacked it, pushing it all the way back to its lair. Overwhelmed, the creature fled and sealed itself away, never bothering the townspeople again. Though to this day, folks are still paranoid and stick to old traditions."

There was a silence for a few moments, the effects of the story hanging in the air. Finally, Reshiram pulled herself together and breathed, "An incredible tale."

Her storyteller shrugged and grunted, obviously not sharing the exact same opinion. The dragon tilted her head, "But I don't understand what this has to do with the curse of the Giant Chasm."

The farmer almost laughed, but understanding his guest was new to these parts, he stopped himself and explained. "Dey say the Chasm is the monster's lair! It's what's left of the meteor crash; a hole in the middle of nowhere. Inside is a cave leading to the creature. It's cursed because it's said that after the battle, the monster went into slumber. If anyone trespasses, it'll wake up and go on a rampage. Disaster will follow."

The duo had finished their chore by the time he was finally done. Reshiram stood still for a few minutes, digesting everything she heard. Finally, she asked, "Is it as dangerous as they say?"

He nodded. "It's completely inhabited. Only life there is mean Pokémon, some of dem even loyal to the beast."

"Thank you."

And with that, she simply walked away, still heading for the direction of the Giant Chasm. The man just as simply watched her go, knowing he was defeated.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry, not the best backstory. Hopefully you got the gist of it, though.**


	9. Chapter 8

A cool wind blew over the forest, ruffling Reshiram's clothes and the trees around her. A dark-blue blanket covered the sky. The sun had sunk below the Earth, but its last rays were creating a pink fire burning on the horizon. The first stars of the night were appearing, awakening from a long day of slumber. It was a perfect twilight, but it was much darker in this area.

Reshiram stood on a ledge as she stared at the crater below her. The Giant Chasm.

It was a large, deep basin about a mile in diameter. A thick dark green blanket covered the bottom, courtesy of the Chasm's own forest. Sharp, jagged rocks lined the edges, looking like the teeth of a savage predator. Lost sorrow and darkness rolled away from the Giant Chasm in waves, threatening to envelope anything in its path and served as a warning to stay away. This was heeded, as there wasn't a single sign of a living creature. The area was empty with no noise except for the rustling of the leaves.

Knowing what needed to be done, Reshiram collected herself. She leaped off her ledge and fell into the forbidding forest below.

* * *

Like Reshiram expected, the Chasm's forest was dreadfully dense. There wasn't even enough room for a proper trail to form. The dragon-in-disguise was forced to squeeze between the undergrowth and trees, the leaves scraping against her skin and vines wrapping around her, trying to trap her for all eternity. The forest was lifeless: the ground owned no color, the leaves were dark green with no lush or shine, the trunks of trees stuck out of the darkness like corpses, no moonlight shone through the canopy, and once again there were no sign of Pokémon. It was a disgusting and evil realm, doing its best to intimidate the bravest of warriors.

After a long time far after the last of the light disappeared, Reshiram found something interesting on the other side of the forest. It was a large outcrop of pale brown jagged rock. It cut through the forest and stretched just above the trees. It was completely barren with no trace of green; the only thing spouting from it were large boulders.

Reshiram quickly noticed a large hole in the outcrop's walls. It was shaped as a perfect arch with in the rock. Underneath it was pitch-blackness, signaling it led somewhere very deep and dark. The arch was several feet wide and a couple dozen feet tall, big enough for a cargo truck to drive through. It was the main entrance to what was underneath the outcrop, but Reshiram decided not to near it.

Instead, she traveled to another side of the outcrop. Over here the rock wasn't so sheer. Here the walls were covered with loose rocks in all sizes. Reshiram scanned the area for any surprises (which there weren't) and scurried onto the rock and began to climb.

Surprisingly most of the rocks were stable; even when Reshiram put all her weight on a small stone. Of course there were the few deceiving footholds, but Reshiram was able to correct herself before falling to the forest below. Halfway up the outcrop the climber finally found what she was looking for. Hidden between the rocks was a large crack just big enough for a human to squeeze through. Much like the first entrance, it also owned no light, appearing like a portal to a dark realm. Reshiram neared it, crouching on a large boulder dug into the cliff side. She was interrupted when suddenly a Pokémon leapt from the night and settled onto another boulder next to the entrance.

It had blue-black fur with fiery red feathers forming a tail and another one serving as an ear. Its white razor sharp claws flashed in the now exposed moonlight. The small creature was a creature of the night, designed perfectly to blend into darkness. A Sneasel.

This one seemed to be a male, judging by its long feathered ear. But he was slightly smaller and much skinnier than most of his species, his bones visible under his thin skin. The Sneasel owned a wicked grin and his eyes gleamed with malice.

"Go back," he hissed in an eerie voice. It was extremely raspy and thin, like a pathetic growl. It almost sounded genderless, a mere hiss in the night.

"I will not," Reshiram replied, her voice formal.

"Then die."

And with that, the Sneasel turned towards the way he came, leaped off the rock, and disappeared. Refusing to be intimidated, Reshiram excused the encounter and went on. She crawled to the crack and peered through it. All she saw was darkness.

Even though, she stuck both feet in and began to wiggle herself through. She fell and landed on her feet with a _clack._ She peered around with a poker-face expression. She was in a dark tunnel, the moonlight not even piercing through the opening. The tunnels could only be distinguished with silhouettes and Reshiram's sensing. She was startled when the cold pierced her spells and she was chilled to the bone in mere moments. Once again refusing to be discouraged, Reshiram set off.

* * *

The catacombs were maze-like. The tunnels turned in random directions, a single run would zigzag, and most of the tunnels were made with no direction: Reshiram would design a careful map in her mind only to be completely turned around. The fact that all the tunnels were the same didn't help: empty, dark, and cold. Though, Reshiram did note that some runs were colder than others.

After a long time, the dragon-in-disguise finally came across a huge cavern. It seemed just big enough for what the humans called a football stadium. The walls were littered with tunnels here and there. Most were on the ground-floor, but there was a few far up the wall with no access to them. After closer observation, Reshiram noticed something else about the stone walls. There was a thin cover of ice.

Then the Legendary sensed something else. She felt the presence of something large and powerful nearby. She took a defiant step forward.

"I know you're out there!" she called. "Show yourself!"

She tried to take another step forward, but was met with multiple Ice Beams fired at her feet. Summoning her superhuman strength, she leaped into the air, barely dodging the attacks. She had one leg extended with the other tucked in and her arms open wide, like she was flying. At the peak of her jump, Reshiram tucked the rest of her body into a ball and rapidly rolled backwards multiple times. She opened back up at the last moment and landed neatly into a crouch.

She looked up to see a swarm of Cryogonal similar to the one before. And they did not look happy.

Two of the closest ones each fired another Ice Beam, the attacks racing at her. Reshiram leaped to her feet and summon a jet of flame from each hand. The flame enveloped the beams, destroyed them, and the fire traveled to the owners and knocked them out of the air. Her powers were weaker in a different form, but they were still effective and packed a punch.

Not allowing her opponents to gain an advantage, Reshiram acted first. She rapidly spun a 360 on her heels like a dancer. Near the end of her spin, she crouched and extended her right leg, dragging it across the floor in front of her. The dragon's dance had summoned several waves of fire that slammed into the Cryogonal, sending them flying. Reshiram was about to add another attack when suddenly something stopped her.

A mighty roar filled the cavern, bouncing off the walls and echoing in all directions, drowning Reshiram's senses. The scream was so intense it shook everything, even some loose rocks falling out of place. The battlers froze. Before the roar could even die down, a great stomp came from the other side of the cavern. Reshiram sensed the presence was even closer; dark thoughts coming off of it like waves. Suddenly the air became far colder.

The trespasser didn't even think. She turned on her heels and leaped into a sprint, dashing towards the nearest tunnel entrance opposite of the source. She ducked inside and ran madly without thinking about a route. At last, she was able to pull herself together enough to extend her senses. The presence was following her, but the main entrance was nearby. She had to make it.

Veering off her course, Reshiram slipped into a run heading towards it. It was slightly larger than the arch outside. It was in this tunnel she started to pay attention to her pursuer. Several roars sounded during the chase, and the vicious stomping of footsteps never ceased. Reshiram sensed she was almost to the exit when probably the worst happened.

A violent tremble shook the tunnel, followed by a cracking sound. The dragon-in-disguise skidded to halt and watched with dismay as the roof of the tunnel before her suddenly collapsed. Large boulders and debris of rock of all different sizes fell toward the floor. A rain of dirt and dust fell along with them, surrounding the debris. The showers went on and on, rapidly filling the tunnel. In less in a minute, the tunnel in front of Reshiram was crammed with stone. A new wall of rock had formed.

Suddenly another great roar filled the air, almost as fierce as the first one. The footsteps were dreadfully near.

That was when Reshiram turned around towards the way she came. She converted into her true form, bracing herself for the inevitable.


	10. Chapter 9

Ash had another night of restless sleep. Once again, he was greeted with a nightmare in his dreams. In this one, he dreamed of dueling dragons.

He was trapped in the dream, forced to watch like someone was holding his head towards a TV. He saw the dragons continuously attacking each other: slashing, biting, pouncing, and ripping each other apart. Only a couple times was a dragon able to charge an attack. Ash even saw a few sprays of blood fly through the air. It was like two cats in a battle to the death.

He was able to wake up, though; thankfully not making another commotion to wake Giovanni. But once he lay back to sleep, even adding a hope not to have another dream, the nightmare would find him again. He was freed when finally morning came, and the travelers left for the last leg of the journey. But by now… Ash was far beyond exhaustion…

"Come on, just a little more," Giovanni urged gently.

"I can't," Ash retorted.

He remained stubbornly on his side, refusing to move a muscle. The boy was so tired he tripped over his own feet. Giovanni and even Pikachu were now trying to encourage him to continue, Persian sitting impatiently a few feet away.

"What's the hurry, anyway?" Ash demanded. "And don't give me any lame excuses."

Giovanni heaved a heavy sigh. The man paused for a long moment, but to Ash's amazement, he confessed.

"I don't think your kidnapper was alone," he told the boy. "I've been pushing you because I want to gain as much distance as possible so his accomplice doesn't find us."

Hearing Giovanni's words felt like a hammer was hitting Ash's gut. His eyes snapped open as his veins froze. It wasn't because he was stunned at new information; the revelation summoned new images in his mind. He remembered… He remembered someone else being there…

Ash trembled. His memory was still messed up. He felt like he should remember but he couldn't. The fact he lived a false reality… scared him to death. And he was so disoriented when he woke up, he even forgot who he was for a moment. No, he couldn't go through that again. He couldn't let that awful man's partner—who may have the same power—do that to him.

And with that, he slowly picked himself, moving at an inch at a time.

"Good boy," Giovanni praised.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered.

Finally, Ash shakily got to his feet. At first when he straightened, he looked weak, but it was quickly replaced with new determination.

* * *

The sun burned brightly that afternoon, having the entire land glow. There was not a cloud in the sky and a sea of blue stretched in every direction to the horizon. The air was warm and no breeze blew, adding to the heat. It felt like a warm summer day in autumn. Ash was going to have a chat with Mother Nature with all these seasonal changes.

The group of travelers were exiting the forest and entering a small field of grass, the green stalk gleaming in the sunlight. About a dozen yards ahead of them was a small rise, shielding the view on the other side. Giovanni was once again a few paces ahead with his Persian on his heels. Ash was not far behind—new energy in him—with Pikachu nestled on his head. When he and his partner were nearing the rise, a wave of recognition passed through them. This place looked familiar. At the same time, Giovanni reached the top first. A grin crept across his face and his eyes gleamed.

"Ah, so it seems everything was worth it," he mused.

Ash trotted the last few steps to join his side. When he did, he let out a small gasp of relief and gave a small laugh. Before them was Nimbasa City.

The city expanded for miles, crammed with buildings of all different sizes. There were a few parks and lakes of course, adding beauty to the mostly metropolis area. It almost seemed like the city didn't need the reserves, as it seemed to gleam. From their vantage point, Ash was able to point out several of Nimbasa tourist attractions: its famous Ferris wheel, the Big Stadium, the Pokémon Musical, and even the Pokémon Center. Yes, they had finally made it.

* * *

The air was cheery in Nimbasa City. Everyone was in a good mood, even business men coming to or from work. This included the small group of travelers walking through the streets. Ash walked beside Giovanni with Pikachu on his shoulder once again. Persian refused to leave the man's side as well.

Unable to bear his excitement any longer, Ash leaped in front of Giovanni, actually cutting the man off. Giovanni blinked as Ash clutched his knuckles and fire burned in his eyes.

"Okay, where do we start?" he asked rather loudly.

Giovanni suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. They just got here… "Well, first of all, we need rest more than anything. But I have some business to do." It was then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a wallet. He plucked several bills and rummaged through them, keeping them well in Ash's vision. The trainer couldn't help but stare at them with curiosity and greed. Giovanni held them out right in front of the boy and said, "Go treat yourself. I'll find you later."

Ash gave a questioning glance. Giovanni nodded. Understanding he had permission, Ash snatched the money and counted the tiny green papers. There was a few hundred dollars in total. Ash gasped.

"Wow, thanks Giovanni!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing across the crowd of people.

Giovanni winced. _Don't say my name so loud!_

Ash turned to his Pokémon. "Come on, Pikachu!"

"Pikachu!" the rodent laughed.

He leaped off of Ash's shoulder as the trainer twisted around on his heels and took off. Pikachu was hot on his heels. Giovanni calmly watched the boy disappear into the city. When he was sure he was gone and he wasn't being watched, Giovanni went into his own direction. He avoided watchful eyes until finally he came to a lone payphone.

He put in a few cents and punched in several numbers. Holding the phone to his ear, he waited patiently as the phone rung several times. As last, there was a click of someone picking up. A young man's voice answered.

"Yes, Kanto Services, how may we help you?" he asked in a very polite tone.

"I would like to buy some insurance, please," Giovanni replied in the same manner. He sensed the Team Rocket agent straightened. It was all business from there.

"Sir!"

"Is the prisoner secure?"

"Yes, sir." Suddenly there was an unsure pause. "Though… he's surprisingly reluctant. It may take a little longer to break him."

"No matter. My Dragonite?"

"Already returned to storage, sir."

"Well done. Keep the prisoner for a little longer. I'll deal with him when I return soon."

"You're not coming back now, sir?"

"I have some things to take care of."

"But, sir—"

Giovanni cut him off by showing his annoyance. "Stop staying sir!"

"Yes, sir."

The boss slapped his palm square on his face.


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: Okay back to normal.**

* * *

Ash trotted through the city, now even in a better mood with new energy. After Giovanni gave him the money, he immediately left for something to do and to get his strength back at the same time. He accomplished that by finding a neat restaurant and eating almost five courses there. After having his full, he paid the bill and went on to the next thing.

He bought a new backpack and crammed it with _tons _of supplies. He'll be prepared if he had to take another unexpected trip, but if that trip was another kidnapping, his efforts just went into waste. Now the young trainer thought about what to do next.

He needed to find his friends as soon as possible. But there was no telling where Cilan and Iris could be now. He was thinking of checking the Pokémon Center, as it would be the first place they could be. If they weren't, he'll take advantage of being at the Center to rent a room and get some _much _neededrest. Since he remembered the Subway Bosses as his last vivid memory, he'll go to them for help if his search failed. Ash nodded with approval, happy to figure out a plan.

"Don't sweat it, Pikachu, we'll find everybody," he promised.

"Pika, pika-pi," his partner replied.

They walked down a few busy streets to find the Pokémon Center. It was a large three-story building tucked in a corner next to a small plaza. It was twice the size of a regular Center, due to the fact it had much more features.

A couple trainers were walking in and out of the electric glass sliding doors, their Pokémon partners by their side. Ash and Pikachu followed one trainer in. They were greeted with a huge lobby: the receptionist desk straight ahead from the door, various furniture taking up half the space, several doors along the walls leading to different parts of the building, and even a staircase to the right leading to the balcony of the second floor. Polished purple tiles gleamed on the floor with walls various colors. The lobby was occupied with trainers doing various things as they rested between errands.

Even though he had been there before, Ash paused for a moment with a small gasp to absorb it all. He snapped himself out of his thoughts and went back to business. He neared the front desk to be greeted with a Nurse Joy patiently waiting. She had her hands folded in front of her and wore a warm expression.

"Hello, how may I help you?" she asked.

"Yes, I like to rent a room, please," Ash replied politely.

She nodded and focused her attention to a computer set up in front of her. "Alright, let me set one up for you."

She had only typed in a few buttons when suddenly Pikachu started freaking out. The mouse's eyes became wide and his ears perked up all the way. He let out a small growl and leaped off Ash's shoulder so hard the trainer even swayed.

"Pika, pika, pikachu!" the Pokémon snarled, letting off sparks from its cheeks as it took a battle stance.

Ash and Nurse Joy froze, staring at Pikachu's sudden aggression with bewilderment. Ash was about to ask what was going on until he recognized commotions happening across the lobby. Trainers gasped as their Pokémon ripped away from them and glared a challenge at nothing, much like Pikachu.

"What in the world?" Nurse Joy gasped.

Her question was answered as there was a bang. Ash jumped, startled. When hearing it again, he whirled around toward the noise. An air conditioning vent high up on the wall was the only thing he saw. The trainer winced again as the metal screen suddenly shook violently, accompanied by the bang. Fellow trainers also noticed, anxiously shifting and staring at the wall. There were a couple more slams, and then the portion of wall exploded, rocks and dust flying.

Everyone gasped and leaped away. At the same time, a powerful blue beam shot from the smoke cloud and struck the ground. As the beam dragged across the floor, large ice formations were immediately formed. The closest trainers to the Ice Beam let out cries of fear and raced away.

Ash watched with shock as then a dozen Pokémon flew out into the open from the same origin. They were about three feet in diameter, as they were an octagon shape. Their bodies were made of solid ice with sharp points lining the edges. Two round glowing eyes were set in the middle of a large crack in the center of the body. A smaller crack was located just under the eyes, this one in the shape of a frown. A chain of ice hung from it. As Ash observed it, the Pokémon looked like a giant snowflake with a face. It had an aggressive look and its blank eyes seemed to glare at the surroundings.

Never seeing the Pokémon before, Ash instinctively reached into his pocket and pulled out his new Pokedex. He felt a little guilty realizing it was probably a bad time, but when he saw a few other trainers doing the same thing, he was relieved. The black and gray Pokedex opened and lit up, revealing a picture identical to the Pokémon. The male electronic voice sounded.

"Cryogonal, the Crystallizing Pokémon," the device identified. "When Cryogonal's body temperature rises, it turns into steam and vanishes. It can capture prey with chains made of ice."

Ash looked up and stared at the Pokémon, Cryogonal. Sounded like a tricky Pokémon. Humph, it wouldn't be the first time. Even though all the Pokémon in the Center were ready for battle, some even rushing in, Ash couldn't make himself attack the intruders without a good reason. Instead he turned to Nurse Joy, whose mouth was dropped open and staring in shock.  
"Nurse Joy, what's going on?" he asked.

The nurse blinked, snapping herself out of her trance and focused on the boy. "I-I don't know. Cryogonal aren't found anywhere near here. And never in my lifetime have I heard or seen anything like this."

Ash blinked. "Then how—"

He couldn't finish as suddenly Pikachu shouted out a warning. Ash jumped away as dozens of shards of ice rapidly shot at where his feet once been. He looked up to see an angry Cryogonal floating above him. It looked like he had no choice.

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball!"

Pikachu cried a confirmation and jumped into the air. A coat of electricity covered the mouse that quickly collected in its tail. The electricity concentrated into a ball at the tip of the lightning-shaped tail. Once it was fully charged, Pikachu yelled again and flung it at the Cryogonal. It impacted the ice Pokémon square in the face. There was a small explosion of smoke before the victim fell to the ground.

In the corner of Ash's eye, he saw other trainers recollecting with their Pokémon and organizing their own attacks. Those without Pokémon understood to stay out of the way and hid behind various structures. It was pretty much chaos, but Ash kept himself in a positive mood. These trainers looked strong and he couldn't see them losing. The Cryogonal didn't look that scary. But as if the universe wanted to make fun of his arrogance, a dozen more Cryogonal flew out of the new hole in the wall. These seemed bigger and meaner than the first wave.

There was a quick echo of dismayed groans from stressed trainers. Ash glanced at Pikachu. They exchanged a determined look and Ash said, "Let's do it, Pikachu."

Then trainer and Pokémon charged into the battle.


	12. Chapter 11

Giovanni was calmly traveling through the city, one hand in his pocket and the other hanging by his side. He wore a stern expression as he observed his surroundings. His faithful Persian seemed to mimic him.

Where did that blasted boy go now? Humph, he should've put a tracking device on him. The kid probably wouldn't have noticed. Huh, he was so gullible. Ash really believed Giovanni would send dozens of Pokémon Team Rocket never even _seen_ before to the police? Plus a criminal who obviously had some useful information.

No, the breadcrumbs Giovanni left were not for the authorities, but for his underlings. That was why Giovanni tried to get as much distance as possible; so Ash wouldn't detect the organization's activity. And he was being truthful: the criminal hinted a couple times he wasn't working alone.

Speaking of the criminal, Giovanni should return to Team Rocket. Leaving a bunch of blubbering fools in unknown territory without their leader could cause problems. But he wasn't ready to leave Ash yet, either. Someone needed to keep an eye on the boy, and more importantly, he could know some interesting information. Maybe even something about _them_.

Giovanni's train of thought was interrupted when he registered a commotion nearby. He halted and turned his head to see three young boys crowding each other at the end of the street.

"Are you serious?" one of them screamed in disbelief. His eyes were wide and his mouth was dropped wide open.

Another one, who was panting and sweating, nodded like a bubblehead. He looked like he just came from a long run. "I saw it with my own eyes! The Pokémon Center's in trouble!"

"Should we go help?" the third boy asked.

"We need to let the police handle this," the first insisted.

Even though it was none of Giovanni's business and he shouldn't get involved, especially with the word _police_, his curiosity got the better of him once again. He neared the trio and asked, "Let the police handle what?"

The three boys started and whirled around to face the towering figure. They gave him a stare that was a mixture of "this is none of your business" and "yay, help!" The sweating one answered the man, but was still yelling with panic.

"The Pokémon Center's under attack! A whole swarm of Cryogonal!" he cried.

Giovanni's eyes widened. He quickly trained his gaze toward the direction of the medical building. Could Ash be…? Even though Giovanni gave him more than plenty of money to keep him occupied and the boy was worried by his companions, everyone knows the first place a trainer goes is to the Pokémon Center. There was a very real possibility that Ash was there.

Instructing the boys to stay where they were (Giovanni wasn't going to let anyone else get involved), he left them behind. He jumped into almost a full run as he raced toward Center, hoping he could get there in time.

* * *

"Pika… CCHHUU!" Pikachu screamed as it released massive volts of electricity. Once as the light of the attack faded, two more Cryogonal fainted.

Ash smirked. The battle was going good. The other trainers and their Pokémon were doing well, too. Only problem was that they were _so many _Cryogonal. No matter how many were taken out, it seemed their numbers wouldn't decrease. But many trainers didn't feel like running. A true trainer never runs from a battle.

After Pikachu landed into a battle stance, another attack caught the corner of Ash's eye. He turned to see a Woobat falling to a Cryogonal. A short trainer let out a gasp.

"Woobat!" he cried. He quickly pulled an empty Pokeball from his belt and held it towards the fainted Pokémon. "Return!"

A red beam reached out from the Pokeball and enveloped the Pokémon. The Woobat glowed as well and became transparent for a few seconds before it went back into the ball in a red blob. The trainer glanced at the ball before turning to a girl about his age.

"Good thing we're in a Pokémon Center, huh?" he joked.

She replied with a scolding glare. "You really think you can heal your Pokémon _now_?"

The boy backed off a little, seeing she had a point. Suddenly a nerdy-looking boy with a bow-tie and thick round glasses joined them. He had a panicked expression and looked venerable. He either had no Pokémon or they fainted.

"Let's just get out of here!" he cried.

The others agreed and nodded. They turned and began to sprint towards the main door, but froze and let out gasps of fear. Startled, Ash followed their gaze and froze himself. Several Cryogonal were hovering in front of door, each firing a beam of ice at the entrance. A film of ice was quickly forming on the glass. They were sealing the door!

"Pikachu! Stop them!" Ash ordered, pointing at the persecutors.

Pikachu let out a grunt and ran a few steps closer to them. Sparks of electricity were released from his pouches on his cheeks. The mouse was about to let out a Thunderbolt until suddenly an intense white beam of light stuck his feet by his side. Pikachu screamed as he skidded across the ground, trails of smoke following.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried.

He tried to help his friend, but another SolarBeam struck at his feet. The boy leaped back and gritted his teeth. He turned toward the source, only for his mouth to drop.

* * *

Giovanni slowed as he neared the Pokémon Center. He was panting, sweating, and sore, but as least he made it. Or maybe he was too late.

Groups of people of a growing crowd were starting to surround the building. Most of them were just clustered together, talking in hushed voices and having panicked conversations. If they were so concerned, just do something already. Pathetic fools. It looked like, as usual, Giovanni had to do things himself.

He stormed through the groups, not paying a bit attention to anyone. He wasn't even halfway to the Center when he registered crashing sounds from inside along with similar sounds of battle. Through the windows all he could distinguish were racing silhouettes. Definitely a problem.

As he neared even more, his gaze concentrated on the main entrance, he noticed why they were so lifeless. It looked like sheer white, thick cobwebs were impeded in the foggy glass. It took a few moments for the man to realize it was actually _ice_. He stopped in front of the door, inches away, eyes narrowed as he peered through. All he saw were silhouettes of several Pokémon levitating on the other side. Then he placed his hand on the glass. The glass was _freezing_: it chilled his hand to the bone and almost burned his skin. He retreated his hand and took several large steps back.

He exchanged glances with his Persian. The cat looked up at him as if asking, _"Want me to do it?"_

Giovanni ignored his partner and glanced at the door. He smirked and sneered, "Let's warm things up a bit."

He pulled out another Pokeball and tossed it at the ground. The ball split open and a white-blue light poured out. The light formed into a silhouette of a large Pokémon and died to reveal its true form. A gruff Rhyperior stood, curiously observing its surroundings as it waited for orders. **(I have no idea how to describe Rhyperior so I'm not going to even try. If you have absolutely no idea what it looks like, look it up.)**

"Rhyperior," Giovanni called. The Pokémon glanced at him and its master quickly pointed at the door. "Flamethrower!"

Immediately the Drill Pokémon whirled around to face the building. It held its arms toward the door. Bystanders hushed their conversations and watched with curiosity. Giovanni didn't pay them any mind. Only a couple seconds passed before a jet of fire exploded from each of the holes in Rhyperior's hands. The Flamethrower completely engulfed the entrance and even crawled up the building's walls. Intense orange light glowed, even reflecting off of Giovanni's face as he watched with a determined look.

_Hang on, Ash,_ he prayed.


	13. Chapter 12

Inside, Ash stared at the Pokémon before him. It was a Cryogonal, but nothing like the others. While all the others were around three feet in diameter, this one was slightly larger than Ash. The ice chains hanging from its mouth scraped across the floor, even though it was well in the air. Its eyes were narrower than the others and seemed to have the most menacing glare of all. Chills were crawling up and down Ash's entire body as he stared at the monster. He wasn't the only one, as the entire Pokémon Center was hushed. Then suddenly the giant Cryogonal spoke.

"White Hero," it hissed.

Ash winced and gasped. He didn't what shocked him more: how the Pokémon addressed him or it actually talked. Or somewhat talked, as it had an eerie voice that didn't help Ash's nervousness. Its voice sounded like someone whispering through a tube. Finally, Ash gulped and decided to reply.

"Y-yeah?" he stammered.

"You come," the Cryogonal whispered.

"Where?"

"You come with us. Master has chosen you."

_Master?_

Ash couldn't ask another question as suddenly a dozen Cryogonal started spinning around him. With panicked gasps he looked all around him, watching the Cryogonal form a perfect circle around him in seconds. He was completely surrounded. And these guys did not look happy. Refusing to so show fear, Ash glared at the giant.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"We bring you to Master."

Suddenly the Cryogonal hissed. Before Ash could properly blink, their ice chains extended dramatically and shot at him like super long bullets. The boy screamed and ducked, bracing himself for the worst. But it never came.

There was a harsh cry and split-second later Ash's hair stood on end from intense electricity filling the entire air. The Cryogonal screamed as yellow lightning coursed through their bodies and to the next victim. It looked like a jagged yellow veil had formed perfectly around the Pokémon. As soon as it had started and before Ash registered what was going on, the electricity was cut off. The Cryogonal were still for a few seconds, black steam rising from their bodies. At last, every one of them clattered to the floor at the same time, all unconscious. Ash looked behind him to see Pikachu in a battle stance, his body still sparking from the great attack. His trainer laughed.

"Great job, Pikachu!" he exclaimed.

A weird noise suddenly came from the giant Cryogonal, the only survivor, which Ash interpreted as an enraged growl. He turned back toward the creature and straightened, ready to put an end to the madness. Little did he notice the red glow coming from the door.

"Give it your best shot!' the trainer taunted his opponent.

The giant hissed again and its body began to glow. A ball of white energy began to form in front of its frown, quickly growing in size. In seconds, the ball turned into a powerful beam racing towards Ash.

"Pikachu, Electro Ball!" he yelled, pointing in front of him.

Before the SolarBeam struck, a yellow ball of electricity whizzed past Ash's ear and met with the opposing attack. The noise of the explosion racked his ears and his entire vision filled with thick smoke, but Ash refused to stop. He threw he hand again and called, "Quick Attack!"

He felt Pikachu race past his feet at an impossible speed and slammed into the Cryogonal's face. It was pushed several feet back and Pikachu glided along after it. The rodent was able to land neatly as his opponent came to a halt. The Crystallizing Pokemon's body glowed again, but this time multiple colors rippled across its body. Suddenly a colorful beam shot from its frown, aimed at Pikachu. Pikachu was able to dodge by jumping backwards, the force of the Aurora Beam attack helping lift him into the air.

"THUNDERBOLT!" Ash screamed.

"Pii… kaa…" Electricity began coat around the mouse's body. "CCCHHHUUUU!" A concentrated beam of lightning raced at the coming victim. The Cryogonal wasn't even able to move before the attack struck it.

Ash saw only for a split second the attack engulfing the Pokémon before a giant explosion filled the entire lobby. The trainer covered his entire face as smoke and roaring sounds filled his senses. The young boy feared he would become deaf from the noise and blinded by the thick smoke sinking into his eyes. He barely heard other trainers grunting from the force. Finally, the explosion cleared, revealing a few of the last Cryogonal disappearing into the hole.

Ash lowered his arms and looked around. Trainers were cautiously coming from their shelters and watched their surroundings with shock. Their enemies were gone… and it was because of a battle that only lasted for a few seconds. The Pokémon Center was completely silent.

That was until a clap of thunder sounded from the main entrance. Ash jumped sky high and screamed, followed by many others. At the same moment, a giant column of roaring fire burst into the lobby. Nurse Joy, who had been mostly hiding, jumped back under her desk as the flames ended inches away. After a few seconds, the powerful Flamethrower abruptly stopped; the noise suddenly gone and only a few embers left behind hanging in the air.

Ash whirled around (his back had been facing the new explosion) and faced the source. His body was rigid and his face frozen with shock. A black shoe poked out from the rim of entrance, followed by the rest of Giovanni's body.

"Well that took longer than expected," he muttered. He turned to Ash, who was completely dumbstruck, but that quickly disappeared as the boy's eyes drooped.

"Gio—"

He couldn't finish saying his own savior's name as his eyes closed and his head bent backwards. His knees buckled and his body began to fall towards the ground. Before he completely collapsed into a heap, Giovanni leaped towards him and caught him in his arms. He glanced at the unconscious boy before picking him up. He tucked his arm under Ash's knees and the other wrapped around his shoulders. The trainer's head was squatted against Giovanni's shoulder.

Poor thing.

* * *

**A/N: This part is kinda irrelevant, but I don't know where else to put it.**

The prisoner was miserable. His captors were keeping him fed and healthy, but it was obvious they didn't like him. After the Dragonite had flown him to some weird base in the middle of nowhere and dumped him on basically the front doorstep, they dragged him inside like he was some unwanted pet. They were courteous enough to check him over for signs of poor health, but it was all business from there. They moved him room to room; either setting him up for interrogation or leaving him to rot.

Now he sat alone in a dark room. There wasn't even a light. He was strapped to an iron chair in the center of the room, forced to go through his thoughts. They were probably prepping him for another lame interrogation. But he wasn't talking. That was his number one policy: never to confess during an "interview." Last time he talked he almost got killed. He especially wasn't speaking to cops. They had to be cops, right? Team Rocket? The hell?

He had heard his captors talking about something, though. Something about "the Boss" would talk to him. That caused a flicker of excitement to perk up his spirits. Just wait until he met this "Boss."

The prisoner was forced out of his thoughts as suddenly there was a click and the door opened. Bright light poured in, making the man squint his eyes from the sudden change in environment. The figure within the door was silhouetted. The prisoner looked pathetic, but he was bursting with excitement. This had to be the man! But after the prisoner's eyes adjusted, he realized it was just another one of his captors.

The person wore an all-black outfit that covered every inch of their body. Save of the blackness was their gray boots, gloves, and belt along with the red "R" on their hearts. A black cap was nestled on their head, only making their face the only skin not covered and visible. Ugh, such horrible uniforms.

The prisoner was about yell at the invader until suddenly he realized this one was different. This one was slightly shorter, and the prisoner realized he was actually a boy, in his late teens max. Long tea-green hair spouted from his hat and fell onto his back. He had it in a ponytail, but it was so thick it was hard to tell. His gray eyes showed no life and his lips were in a straight line. He looked bored, or better yet, emotionless. The prisoner flinched when he suddenly spoke.

"Ghetsis told me you would be useful," he muttered.

The prisoner flinched again when he recognized the name. The stranger went on before he could speak up.

"But you failed!" He sounded more stress when he said that, raising his voice to a low wail. The captive quickly realized he needed to defend himself.

"N-no I didn't!" he protested. "I got the boy just like you asked!"

"Don't you see what has happened to you?"

"J-just let me out! I can do it, again! Piece of cake!"

The teenager shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid I can't do that," he sighed. Suddenly he pulled out a Pokeball.

"Wait a second! I told these losers nuthin!"

The boy then opened the Pokeball and a Pokémon appeared. The prisoner recognized it as psychic Pokémon. It was entirely made of a gel-like substance with different colored orbs in its body. The main one was a tawny doll-shaped body with beady eyes and a gaping mouth. The Pokémon appeared to be a floating blob with arms. Reuniclus.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, but his voice was so dull it was hard to tell if he was sincere or not. "This isn't personal, but you know too much about us."

Suddenly the ex-criminal's vision was filled with a blinding white light.


	14. Chapter 13

Ash woke up with an enormous yawn. He sat up and stretched, extending his arms to their full length. His bones cracked as his stiff muscles loosened. Sleepiness made his vision blurry, but it cleared when he blinked a couple times. The boy found himself in a fancy bedroom.

He lay on the left side of a king-sized bed that rested in the center. The head was pushed against the wall with the end in the open. An antique dark brown wooden desk rested on each side with a simple white lamp on top.

Next to Ash was an opening in the wall that led to an impressive bathroom with a sink, shower, and closest. Across from him in the corner of the room was a closed wooden door leading somewhere else. The walls were all egg-white with ivory carpet covering the floor.

He was snuggled in the bed's pale green Egyptian cotton sheet with a thick forest green comforter on top. Various designs of flowers were etched into the fabric. He wanted to sleep in it forever as it was comfortable, but he quickly noticed something was out of place. He didn't recognize these surroundings at all.

The tired boy closed his eyes, where the memories of the battle with the Cryogonal in the Pokémon Center came back. How'd he get here? He snapped his eyes back open, but relaxed a little when he noticed Pikachu snoozing in the corner of the bed, curled in a ball with his stomach gently rising and falling.

"Hey, buddy," Ash greeted.

Immediately Pikachu opened his eyes and lifted his head, perking his ears up. "Pikachu!" he greeted back.

The boy slid out of bed, where he noticed he was stripped once again. His gloves and hat were gone, along with his jacket and his socks and shoes. He had a flicker of panic when he noticed his belt with his Pokeballs were gone. Not seeing his things in the room, he preceded with his exploration. He opened the door and stepped into a small living room.

A plush brown leather couch was pushed against the wall with a small box-shaped TV across from it resting on another desk. Next to the television was a leather chair similar to the couch. Ash was relieved to see his lost items were neatly placed on the cushion. In between the TV and couch was a glass table with an iron frame. On Ash's left was a small but fancy kitchen filled with all the basic stuff. **(I'm not going to bore you to death with listing everything.) **The electronics were made of stainless steel, the counter was granite, and the cabinets made of light brown wood. Next to it was another closed door. But Ash's attention was to another one.

On the other side of the apartment (which Ash figured out what it was) across from the kitchen were regal red curtains with gold designs. Pulling one aside, a glass sliding door was revealed. On the other side was a small balcony. Ash stepped outside, Pikachu following him. The area was a few feet wide with dark mustard walls. Across from the glass door was a black iron railing. The explorer leaned against it and looked around.

Stretched out before him was Nimbasa City, the Ferris wheel slowly spinning in the distance. The city was much like it was before: gleaming under the clear blue sky with the sun shining brightly. Ash judged it was around noon. Surrounding his balcony were identical ones lining the wall of a tall building. So it was either a hotel or an apartment building.

Now that he was done with his search and proved where he was, the boy returned inside. He put the door and curtain back in place, and wandered to the center of the living room. He looked around. There was no trace of Giovanni.

Where was he? How long had it been? When was he coming back? Ash saw it slightly depressing with the thought that his savior may have dumped him. He looked around for any signs of a note, but found none. The man couldn't leave one?

The young trainer was forced to drop the subject as suddenly his stomach growled. Surprisingly that roused even more of his curiosity. Before going to the Pokémon Center he had a pretty big lunch. How much time had passed? And was there any food here?

He immediately made his way to the refrigerator pulled it open. Inside was a lone white Styrofoam box. Ash snatched it and pulled it out, opening the lid. It was full of pasta noodles drown in a creamy sauce. As he noted it looked delicious, his stomach growled. He put in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up. Meanwhile he found a bag of Pokémon food in a cabinet and filled a bowl for Pikachu. When his food was done, he grabbed a utensil and began to chow down.

A few minutes later he had his fill and collapsed on the couch. He laid he head on one of the arm rests with his body sprawled on the rest of the sofa. Pikachu jumped up and playfully settled on his stomach. Ash closed his eyes, but a few moments later he opened them upon hearing a clicking noise. The door opened and Ash lifted his head to see Giovanni. The man smiled when he saw him.

"I see you're awake," he observed.

The boy nodded. "How long have I been asleep?"

"All night."

Ash tilted his head as he calculated the hours. The result made him flinch. _I slept for almost twenty-four hours. _As the math included memories of the battle, Ash went on to the next question. "How did I get here?"

"You fell unconscious at the Pokémon Center. The place was chaos and I assumed it was a bad time to rent a room there, so I took you to a nearby hotel."

Giovanni entered the living room with Persian trailing behind, where Ash noticed something different about him. He looked… _tired_.

"Have you been up long?" he asked.

"Not really."

Ash must have looked like a mess, because Giovanni suggested, "How about you go freshen up? I'll take a rest."

The latter proved he was exhausted. The younger trainer nodded obediently and went back inside the room. The little more private sections of the bathroom were in stalls out of view with doors, so Ash didn't have to worry about Giovanni accidently spying on him. The man collapsed on the bed with a grunt while his partner disappeared in the bathroom. He kept his back to the bathroom. Pikachu and Persian stayed in the apartment.

In the section reserved for the shower, Ash turned on the water, turning the knob to let out hot water. As it warmed and steam began to form, he quickly stripped off his clothes and threw them in a pile in the corner. He jumped under the stream of water and let it soak his entire body.

Over thirty minutes in the shower, Ash moved on to other toiletries. The shower was equipped with shampoo, body wash, and conditioner along with other soaps, so he was finally sparkling clean. Ash put on his black pants and shirt on and neared the sink. That was the only part of the bathroom open to the room. He peeked toward the bed to see Giovanni sleeping soundly, not even moving on his side.

Ash was able to find a hair brush, a tooth brush and toothpaste alongside a couple other things, so he spent the next five to ten minutes with those. At last he was done and felt completely refreshed: perfectly clean and owning new energy. Now for business.

He neared the bed, approaching Giovanni from behind. He had slept the entire time. Ash placed both hands on his upper arm and gently shook him.

"Giovanni," he called.

The older trainer stirred, giving a sleepy growl and muttered, "What?"

"We were going to look for my friends, remember?"

Giovanni blinked a couple times, tiredness clouding his mind and giving him a confused look. After a couple moments he remembered and realization appeared.

"Alright, alright," he whispered as he continued his awakening, "I'm up."

Ash cheered and scurried away. Giovanni pushed himself up and it was his turn to let out an enormous yawn.

* * *

**A/N: Boring chapter, I know (especially with describing a hotel you'll never see again), but I thought out "heroes" deserved a rest. Things really kick up in the next chapter, though. Thanks for reading!**


	15. Chapter 14

Later that afternoon, Ash and Giovanni were still wandering around Nimbasa City. Ash tried to enter the Pokémon Center, but Giovanni warned it was still a mess from the attack, so they ended up simply talking to nearby trainers. None of them recognized Iris and Cilan's descriptions. So they went ahead to simply tour the city, hoping they would happen to run into them. No avail. Now Ash wondered about going to the Subway Bosses.

They were Ingo and Emmet, twin brothers who were in charge of the entire subway system and almost half of Nimbasa. They had incredible technology at their disposal, which helped Ash and his friends multiple times. They had a close relationship with Cilan, so they saw the children as good friends. No doubt they would help. But Giovanni suggested to look a little longer before disturbing them, so Ash had to swallow his impatience. Little did they know they were being watched.

As they now stood in a small plaza—their Pokémon off to the side—thinking about what to do next, a woman peered at them from the shadows.

Reshiram was hiding in a nearby alley, watching from behind a corner. She had finally found her hero! But the celebration was short-lived when she noticed his acquaintance. She snarled with disgust and anger at the blackness coming off of him in continuous waves. He was similar to the one in Lacunosa—foreign and heartless—but far stronger. And he was right next to her hero… How dare him…

The outraged dragon leaped.

* * *

"We need to go to Ingo and Emmet!" Ash declared.

"They have better things to do than waste their time with a child," Giovanni argued.

"We're like best friends! They'll listen to me, I promise!"

_Blasted runt, listen to me! _Giovanni cursed silently. He believed Ash, and that was the problem. Last thing he needed was bosses from opposite sides of the law to come face-to-face.

Ash was about to yell again, but the words were lost when it happened. Suddenly a white blob shot from a nearby alley and halted next to Giovanni. At the same moment, a woman materialized, but one of her legs was lifted straight up and her body twisted at weird angles for balance. The top of her foot was perfectly cupped under Giovanni's jaw. Time was frozen, but returned when Giovanni's head snapped back with a grunt and the towering man crumbled into a heap.

Ash couldn't come to aid or even scream as the woman landed back on her feet and raced towards him next. He was able to screech though when he felt something wrap around his torso and his feet leave the ground. The woman scooped him up with one arm and darted away.

A dazed Giovanni was clumsily picking himself up when he was able to hear Ash's startled yell.

"Help!"

* * *

Reshiram ducked into another dark alley out of Giovanni's sight. She dumped a squirming Ash on the ground and squatted in front of him. Immediately the boy tried to run away, but Reshiram lashed out with both hands and grabbed his shoulders, keeping him in place. But he continued to thrash and let out panicked yells.

"Let me go!" he shrieked. "I'm not going back!"

Reshiram blinked. Back? Back where? Realizing Ash's behavior was unusual and curious, she extended her psychic powers. Holding firmly to one of Ash's shoulders, she hovered the other hand over his forehead. He made a small grimace at the pressure, but his expression went blank as Reshiram read his thoughts.

Immediately shattered images appeared, followed by intense confusion of a manipulated mind. She quickly found other evidence of a psychic's work, where she moved on to recent memories. She saw visions of Ash's current adventures, including being attacked by the Cryogonal. So they got to him… With almost each memory there was a sense of trust the boy had for Giovanni, especially when he was the one to save him. Humph, so no wonder… The process only took a matter of seconds, and lead to an obvious conclusion.

With a sigh, Reshiram pulled away. Ash blinked, but now more confused than ever. What just happened? His head was spinning, but he was able to hear the woman's words.

"No wonder you're so frightened," she breathed. "You think I'm one of them."

Ash blinked a couple more times. Finally he found words. "W-who are you?" he stammered.

The woman opened her eyes and immediately locked gazes with his. She regained hold of his shoulders and then she asked in a soft voice, "Do you remember me, my precious one?"

It was then Ash finally observed her for the first time. She owned intense gleaming blue eyes that owned gentleness and fierceness at the same time. Almost everything about her was white. Vast white. His subconscious took note of several more features. Only one creature in the entire world had them all. His gasp came out as a whispering breath.

"Reshiram….."

* * *

Ash stared at Reshiram as if he were in a trance. Finally he found words.

"W-what are you doing here?" he asked quietly.

"I have been searching all over Unova for you," Reshiram explained. "I need your help."

Immediately her hero was taken aback. Reshiram did _what_? And why? Ash tried to piece it together, but it wasn't going very well. At last the dragon-in-disguise said, "Come. We must go."

She began to stand up, but Ash stayed where he was and continued to stare at her.

"Wait, what about Giovanni?" he asked.

Reshiram furrowed her eyebrows. She understood Ash trusted his savior with his life, and it was natural with what he been through. So she chose not to tell him Giovanni's identity; it would only confuse him even more. But she would not allow them to make contact again. She picked her words carefully.

"This does not concern him," she informed. "He would hinder us for many reasons."

It was pretty much the truth. Ash made a face of disappointment, but understood if it was the words of a Legendary, then she knew what she was talking about. And with that, the two ran off side-by-side.

* * *

Reshiram and Ash were sprinting through alleyways and narrow streets, staying out of sight of curious eyes. Reshiram was in the lead, holding Ash's hand firmly as he gripped hers. They needed to get out of the city or at least a desolate area before they could leave permanently. Plus Reshiram was sensing increasing numbers of unwanted visitors beginning to appear. They had to stay away from them.

Ash had no idea what was going on, but he knew to trust Legendaries, especially Reshiram, more than anything. He followed obediently and never asked any questions. In fact he was more determined than hesitant. And he was doing well keeping up. Reshiram feared she would have to stay down at a low speed, but an energetic Ash surprised her with being faster than she thought (though she still had to go a little slower than usual).

Ash and Reshiram had run through several alleys before turning a corner and skidded to a halt. Before them stood a looming gray brick wall of a building. Walls of neighboring structures blocked off other paths as well. The only access Reshiram saw was a pile of boxes and projections sticking out of the walls above them which could be climbed to a lower roof. She could easily scale it, but Ash would need slightly longer. It was be simpler just to find an alternative route. But as they slowly turned around, they froze on the spot.

Before them, blocking their only escape route was a tall, forbidding figure. Reshiram, a fearless dragon, wanted to shrink at the amounts of blackness and rage pouring off the human. Giovanni.

"I believe you have something that belongs to me," he snarled.

Ash blinked, but flinched when suddenly Reshiram squeezed his hand. They stood side-by-side still holding on to each other.

_This foolish human isn't going to change that, _Reshiram vowed. How did he catch up to them so fast? She didn't allow herself to sulk about it much. She lifted her chin defiantly.

"He stays with me," she announced.

"Oh, I don't think so."

Giovanni took an intimidating step forward. Ash's head was going back and forth between the two, lost for words. After a few moments, he figured it out. Giovanni thought Reshiram was kidnapping him! And most likely Reshiram didn't understand that. No doubt the two would wring the other's neck in a matter of seconds. He needed to make them both understand. Coming to a decision, he extended his thoughts toward Reshiram's mind. He remembered she had telepathic powers.

_"Reshiram," _he called.

_"Yes?" _she replied. It was curt, but she would never ignore her hero.

_"Let me talk to Giovanni. He'll listen to me."_

_"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."_

Ash knew Reshiram meant it, and there was more to a lot of things, but that made him all the more determined.

_"I can take care of myself," _he assured_._ _"I'll take care of it."_

Reshiram was more than reluctant. But she knew to trust Ash as well. Forcing her stiff hand to pry from his hand, she took a step away from him. She shot one more glare of hatred at Giovanni before turning around toward the alley's corner. She stepped into an impressive act: reaching the boxes with a few steps and leaping up to the roof like a ninja.

Ash glanced at her leave, but before he could react to anything else, Giovanni tossed a Pokeball. Mightyena came out, snarling.

"Go after her," he ordered.

Mightyena gave a growling bark before taking off. Following her scent, he scrambled up to the rooftop. Much more clumsy than Reshiram and took a slightly longer, but it was very determined. And Ash didn't like the look on its face.

"Don't hurt her!" he cried to both Mightyena and Giovanni. The dog's tail disappeared behind the roof's edge, completely ignoring the boy's plea. Ash was about to run after the canine until suddenly Giovanni grasped his wrist.

"Come on," he grumbled.

Ash winced in pain at the pressure as the man yanked him away.

"Ow! Hey!" he cried. He started to squirm and attempted to pull out of his grasp, but his new captor was far too strong. Ash scowled as he demanded, "Hey! What's the deal?"

Giovanni ignored him. Finally he squeezed out of the man's hold (almost pulling himself to the ground in the process) and turned away. He attempted to run out of reach so he could confront Giovanni at a safe distance, but it never happened. Ash froze in place and he couldn't feel anything as Giovanni hissed in the most menacing voice he ever heard.

"You're not going anywhere."

Immediately buried memories leaped out of Ash's shattered mind and exploded into vivid images before his eyes. Standing on a beautiful beach of an island on a sparkling lake, looming over the broken body of a dying Mewtwo. Turning around only to see an army of Team Rocket members led by a single man. Giovanni.

Ash screamed.

* * *

"NO!"

He tried to jump into a full sprint, but was cruelly pulled back but the collar of his jacket. Giovanni twisted him around and regained his hold on the little one's wrist, this time firmer. He began to drag his prisoner, but Ash was far more resistant this time. He thrashed and flailed his limbs, trying to squirm away once again. He even struck against Giovanni and tried to bite him. The crime lord was unfazed, only disciplining the boy with yanks. Finally fear got the better of Ash and he began to babble.

"No! Let me go, let me go!" he snarled. "You won't get away with this!"

His threats fluiacted between yells and muttering growls. Giovanni ignored him, used to being cursed out. Though he was curious how this came on, but concluded the woman told the boy.

_That was probably her mission_, he realized. _To turn him against me._

Whatever, it didn't change anything. He continued to pull Ash away. The boy never ceased or took a breath. He worked hard to escape. And he kept saying something about Giovanni wanting to take Pikachu away from him. Why would he want a damn Pikachu? Finally the crime boss had enough.

He turned on Ash, lashing his arm out. The back of his arm smacked against the side of Ash's head and almost snapping his neck. The boy would've slammed onto the ground right then and there, but was cruelly forced to stay on his feet from Giovanni's grip. He became motionless and cowered, looking like a scared little toddler. Which he almost was, next to this towering man glaring down at him. Ash stared at him with an expression of disbelief, whimpering and holding his head where Giovanni struck him. At last, he found enough courage to demand in a high-pitch scream, "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?"

Giovanni's glare narrowed. He loomed over Ash for a few moments before finally snarling something the boy never imagined to hear.

"You're my nephew, what do you think?"

* * *

**A/N: And cue angry reviews! XD Sorry guys, I wanted something different than the father/son thing for two reasons: One, I wanted to. Two, I wanted to satisfy those who think the father/son thing is overrated (I personally think there isn't enough but whatever). And those who didn't want them to be related at all, sorry for disappointing you, but I thought it would be a lot more fun and character development if I made them family. But don't worry: I have tons of ideas planned to make up for any disappointment. NO EPICNESS WILL BE LOST.**


	16. Chapter 15

Ash and Giovanni stared at each other for a long time. Everything was mute: no distant city noises, no eerie alley sounds… nothing. The two couldn't even hear their own breathing, if they were at all. Ash barely sensed his own thoughts as Giovanni's words kept repeating in his mind. His expression was a mixture of fear, shock, and disbelief as he desperately tried to comprehend what was happening. Giovanni's glare was composed of anger and shock. He didn't mean to mention that. Finally Ash came to life. His face twisted to a savage snarl.

"Liar!"

He crouched a little before lunging, slamming into the crime lord's gut with all his might. To his dismay, Giovanni only stumbled in surprise. Ash tried to pull him down, but he was too big. It was only a matter of seconds before Giovanni gained hold of his shoulders.

"Stop it," he hissed.

He pushed with a single jerk, but it sent Ash flying. He crashed onto the ground with a painful wail. Giovanni blinked; surprised by his own strength and afraid for Ash's welfare. But the boy grasped courage once again and glared at the taller figure with hate and fury.

"No!" he yelled. "There's no way I could be related to a monster like you!"

"A monster, eh? Is that how you see your own uncle?"

"SHUT UP!"

Ash leaped to his feet and charged again, but this time Giovanni was ready for him. Just before the runt tackled him, he sidestepped out of the way. As Ash ran by him, Giovanni swung his arm. It hit perfectly on the back of the boy's head. Ash gagged in pain. He was unconscious before he even hit the ground.

* * *

Reshiram was sprinting through the narrow streets at full speed. She let her arms go limb, having them hang uselessly behind her. She felt guilty and frustrated that she abandoned Ash, but he made his order clear for her to escape. Now she had better things to worry about. The blackness she sensed before had multiplied and closer than ever. Right on cue, a voice shouted at her.

"Stop!"

She looked over her shoulder to see several humans clad in black clothing appear from an alleyway. Most likely that Giovanni-person's minions. She turned her head back to look before her, ignoring them. The one that called immediately noticed.

"Hey! I said stop!"

The Rockets raced after her. Even though it seemed to be the worst thing to do, Reshiram forced herself to slow slightly. No doubt these human would report to their leader and last thing she needed was for them to note she had unnatural endurance. But she continued on, completely unfazed and paying no attention to her pursuers. Finally the squadron's leader got annoyed. He yanked a Pokeball from his belt and held it firmly in his grasp, gritting his teeth. He threw the ball towards Reshiram with all his might.

An insect emerged. It had large white wings with red tips that fluttered at a dizzy speed as they kept the Pokémon airborne and moving at a fast speed. Its torso was all-black except for its gold mask-like face and red eyes. Two sharp claws extended from its body. A Ninjask, a bug-type from another region. Reshiram remembered this Pokémon was one of the fastest in the world, so it was no surprise they would send it to keep up with her. But a bug? Really?

Just to prove her point, when she ducked around a corner with Ninjask right behind her, she struck her arm towards it without even looking. Her fist hit dead in its face. The bug Pokémon was shot back out of the alley and slammed into the opposite wall. It slowly slid to the ground and went limp, completely unconscious.

It was only a few more streets over and less than a couple minutes later when another pathetic excuse appeared. Suddenly a black mass shot out of a connecting alley, materializing from a corner. The Mightyena immediately turned half its body towards her, letting out a vicious snarl. Its jaws were open wide with saliva filling its mouth. Reshiram disabled it by stomping on its head as she ran over it. Her toe was placed between its eyes and her heel laid across its snout. The dog was pushed to the ground and lay flat.

At last she made it to a plaza on the edge of a park. The ground was covered with white bricks with trees on one side and city buildings on the other. A flight of stairs lead to other parts of the area nearby. Reshiram raced into the center, the Rockets hot on her heels. Knowing nothing else could be done, she twisted mid-run and turned around. The trick caused her to skid backwards a couple feet. The Rockets before her came to a halt, forming a semicircle in front of her. Continuous blackness poured off of them.

The Rockets were about to attack, as well Reshiram, until she suddenly sensed something. She craned her neck to look to her side at the top of the stairs. Two short silhouettes were outlined against the sun's light, looking down on the scene. One of the figures began to move.

"Excadrill!" a feminine voice hollered.

A Pokeball flew through the air and opened between Reshiram and her pursuers. White light poured out of it before an intimidating Pokémon appeared. It was a large mole-like creature with brown fur and red stripes. It stood on its hind legs as its front paws were made of incredibly large steel claws. It seemed to be wearing a hood as another steel structure hung over its head and white snout. When the Pokémon recognized the Rockets were enemies, its eyes narrowed to a glare. It trainer shouted an order.

"Focus Blast!"

Excadrill held out its paws in front of it as a sphere of pure, focused energy formed between its claws. When it was ready, the Excadrill flung it at the Rockets' feet. The criminals couldn't react as it all happened so fast and they were caught off guard. There was a flash of light followed by a clap of thunder and explosion of force and smoke. The Rockets were sent flying and crashed onto the ground yards away from their original spot.

Reshiram looked back up at her rescuers as the light faded. The silhouettes were revealed to be two children. One was closer to his teenager years as he was noticeably taller than his companion. He wore formal attire; even having a green bow-tie. He had light green hair and eyes that gleamed with friendliness. His partner was a younger girl. She wore an ivory and pink dress with long sleeves that was in a tribal design. She had long deep purple hair that fell to her knees, tied by a pony tail to keep it from going all over the place. A bushy pigtail spouted from each side of her head. She stared with determination.

"Go away!" she yelled at the pitiful criminals. "We don't want you!"

Suddenly a baby gray dragon, an Axew, poked out of her hair. He glared at the enemies as well before harshly shouting, "AXEW!"

The criminals picked themselves up, gave the area one more glance, and turned around and disappeared into the alley which they came from. Reshiram sensed they were more fed up than actually obeying.

When the plaza was clear, the girl trotted down the stairs toward Reshiram, the boy following her. Reshiram recognized them. As they neared, the boy commented, "That was quite an unfortunate experience. I hope you're not hurt. Why in the world were they after you?"

The girl was not fooled and wore a different expression. As the boy stared on curiously, her eyes were as round as moons. She approached Reshiram very slowly and carefully. Not like she thought Reshiram was dangerous, but more like she was precious relic that could shatter any at moment. Her face was complete shock and awe.

"Reshiram, is that you?" she breathed. The boy blinked.

Reshiram nodded. "Yes. It has been a while, my friends."

* * *

Iris and Cilan stared at the legendary-in-disguise for a long time. Cilan was the first to speak, but his words were very choppy.

"W-what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I was going to ask the same of you," Reshiram couldn't help replying.

Iris bowed her head and adverted her eyes. "We're looking for Ash."

"Ash?"

"Yes, we lost him some time ago," Cilan spoke up. His eyes were narrowed and his voice solemn. Reshiram took this to turn her attention to him. "I'm afraid he's been kidnapped."

"I know," the dragon replied. Both children were surprised by this.

"You _know_?" they exclaimed in unison.

"I have spoken with Ash. He's in the city."

Iris and Cilan didn't know how to react. They had been searching for their dear friend all over for days. At last they finally heard of him, but they couldn't believe it was happening, especially with the fact the confirmation was coming from a Legendary. They had their jaws dropped and stared at the woman in disbelief.

"W-where is he, then?" Iris asked. "Is he okay?"

"He had escaped from his captor unharmed," Reshiram assured. "His truth is still strong. But, I'm afraid the situation is complicated."

Cilan blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I was forced to leave Ash with the…" Reshiram was forced to pause as she tried to translate her language to human. "criminals' master."

Another combined gasp and spasm. This was going to take a while.

"You mean their boss?" Iris yelped. Then she added when it hit her, "Why did you leave him?"

"I had no choice. He gave me an order. I have to obey him."

Iris was in shock as she realized her friend was in horrible danger. Cilan was the same, but being more mature and composed, he forced himself to analyze the situation carefully. He was a connoisseur, so it was relatively easy for him.

"Well, at least Pikachu's with him," he sighed, trying to find something positive. "Those two are really close."

Reshiram blinked at this comment. "Pikachu?"

Iris spirits were lifted by Cilan's words, so she quickly chipped in. "Yeah, you remember, Ash's Pokémon?"

The dragon was still confused. She remembered the creature, but didn't recall seeing it when she tried to save Ash. She voiced this. The reply was the children's hearts finally stopping. Though they still had enough adrenaline in them to have them snap their bodies around to face each other. They voiced the exact same thought at the same time.

"Then where's Pikachu?"


	17. Chapter 16

Pikachu was dashing through empty streets, panting heavily. He was going as fast as his tiny legs would allow, but they threatened to fall off at any moment. He had been running for quite a while. The small mouse jumped when suddenly an outraged raspy snarl sounded behind him.

"Get back here!" Giovanni's Persian screeched.

Pikachu looked over his shoulder to see the cat sprinting after him, only a few feet gap between them. What a determined Pokémon! She was incredibly fast and agile, never once faltering to whatever Pikachu did in attempts to lose her. He had even used a couple Quick Attacks to gain some distance, but it still wasn't enough. And while he was bordering on exhaustion, the feline looked as fresh as when they started.

Pikachu was just trying to find a clue, not even too far from Ash. He saw the woman appear as clearly as his trainer did. He was about to attack, but suddenly his internal instinct identified the creature before him. Reshiram. It was then he simply froze, not even reacting when the disguised dragon ran away with his best friend. A million questions were buzzing in his head, making him immobile. The main one was what in the world was the Legendary doing here, and why was she stealing his friend. But that was quickly answered.

As Pikachu was coming to his senses, he registered Giovanni stirring. He looked over to see the man repositioning himself into a crouch. His head was bowed, but when he looked up, he wore a menacing expression with a murderous glare. Seeing the unmasked monster sent a series of flashbacks through Pikachu's mind. No… it couldn't be…

His thoughts were forced to pause when suddenly Persian, being the groveling pet it was, screeched at the sight of her fallen trainer.

"Master! Master!" she cried. She covered the distance between them in a couple of leaps. She began fussing over Giovanni, sniffing him and twitching her head to observe him. She wasn't even giving him a couple inches of space. Giovanni noticed her, but instead of being flattered, he was immediately annoyed.

"Get out of my face," he hissed. When a too concerned Persian didn't obey, he gave a small shove, pushing her back. "I SAID BACK OFF!"

And with that, he leaped to his feet and ran towards the alleyway Reshiram and Ash disappeared into. He ducked into the shadows and out of sight, leaving Pikachu and Persian all alone in silence. Pikachu had simply watched, too stunned to move or anything. Persian watched Giovanni go, not following. But she didn't seem hurt. It was more like she was used to it. But that changed when the cat turned and locked eyes with Pikachu.

"Oh. You," she said like she just realized he was there. That was when Pikachu turned and took off, and the chase began.

Pikachu was interrupted from his flashback as suddenly he heard the pounding of paws right behind him. He couldn't help but cry when he felt Persian's jaws snap, missing his jagged tail by a millimeter. Frightened, Pikachu dashed into a Quick Attack. It only gave him a few more feet, but at least his tail was safe. But this made Persian angry.

She snarled and willed energy. Her precious jewel began to glow a bright crimson. Growling, she threw her head around, snapping it back towards Pikachu. Immediately, dozens of crystals appeared in midair and shot towards their target in less than a blink of an eye. The crystals struck the ground below the fleeing mouse's feet and exploded on impact. Pikachu let out a scream as he found himself flying through the air. He crashed onto the ground, even bouncing a couple times from momentum.

He tried to get up, but before he had moved an inch, Persian had caught up. Deciding to play with her prey, she tucked her paw under his belly. She flipped him into the air like a kitten playing with a toy. Pikachu wailed, but his attacker was still having fun. As he flew straight up, Persian stood up on her hind legs. She swiped at Pikachu, sending him back slamming into the ground. Once again before he could move, she swatted at him again, this time with a deadly Slash. The mouse screamed as he was thrown like a ragdoll. Persian watched with amusement as she watched her prey whimper and was covered with scrapes and grime.

Refusing to give up, Pikachu forced himself to his feet. He gritted his teeth as he shakily and slowly stood again. But it wouldn't be for long. He was too weak. He could do a Thunderbolt, but Persian was too fast and he didn't have the strength to summon it. Persian grinned and took a step toward him. Pikachu braced himself for what was to come, but it never happened.

Suddenly a soft jet of water fell from the sky and right on Persian's head. Her face disappeared in the torrent and there was a surprised wail. Persian leaped backwards, away from the attack and from Pikachu. When the water disappeared, only leaving a puddle in its place, the duo looked up from the source.

On a balcony of a neighboring building was its origin. The creature looked like a two-legged otter with blue fur covering its body save for its naked flat tail. It had short pointy ears on top of its head with round black eyes. Thick whiskers spouted from its pink nose. A scallop was attached to each of its thighs. Pikachu remembered it as a Dewott.

It stood on the balcony's railing peering down at them. And sure enough, its trainer was right behind it. It was a female. She wore very small jean shorts with raggedy ends and a white tank-top with a black unzipped vest over it. She had thick brown hair in a bushy pony tail sticking from her pink and white hat. She had sapphire eyes that gleamed as she goggled the Pokémon below her. An unnaturally wide and toothy grin was plastered on her face.

"Oh! Persian and Pikachu!" she exclaimed. "You guys are super rare in Unova!" She quickly pulled out a Pokeball from her bag. "I'm gonna catch you!"

The once quarreling Pokémon let their jaws drop as they stared at the trainer in disbelief. But they had no time to react. The trainer pointed at them and ordered, "Get 'em, Ryo!"

The Dewott chirped before leaping off the railing. It landed expertly between Persian and Pikachu, making them jump. Ryo decided to go after the Pokémon it first set its eyes on. And that was Persian.

"Razor Shell!" the girl called from her post.

Ryo yanked one of its scallops off its leg and brought it out to its side, holding it out. The scallop suddenly began to glow blue and a trail of unique energy poured from it, forming a shape of a curved sword. Once the attack was charged, the Dewott swiped it at Persian. The cat barely dodged it, ducking and jumping away. The act caused her to turn away from her opponent, but once she landed from her leap, she twisted around toward the Discipline Pokémon. Before the otter could charge another attack, Persian's jewel began to glow. Mystified, Ryo couldn't help but stare. Big mistake.

Suddenly Dewott's eyes drooped. With a tired sigh, it slumped over. It fell right on its face with its knees folded, its rump sticking in the air.

"Ooohhh!" the girl cried.

Once Persian noticed her Hypnosis worked and her enemy was unconscious, she whirled around and sprinted down the alley where the duo came from. As if she was going to stick around. Pikachu became self-conscious when he realized he was alone.

"Wait! Come back!" the trainer cried after Persian, but as if the cat would listen. When the girl realized her catch was gone, she gave another exasperated sigh. Then Pikachu froze when she trained her determined gaze on him. "I'll just catch you, then."

Pikachu ran for it.

* * *

**A/N: Now to explain why the heck it took so long for Ash and Pikachu to recognize Giovanni. I'll start with Ash: Remember guys, Ash only saw the guy for a matter of seconds, and only when he had better things on his mind and didn't have the best view. Now, Pikachu, yes he saw Giovanni a lot more and as a Pokémon you'll expect him to be better at remembering. But I read in the manga Pokémon can be traumatized just like humans (when you go through something REALLY dramatic & can't handle it, you mind blocks it out), and you would think being chased by a madman and seeing your friends being tortured, you would be pretty traumatized. So both had forgotten the memory and were suffering amnesia, so it took them a little while.**

**And yes, the trainer is Hilda/White/Touko/or whatever you want to call her. She's based off my OC in my Pokémon White game (you'll learn her name in the next chapter).**


	18. Chapter 17

Reshiram, Cilan, and Iris were traveling through the city, carefully keeping an eye out for any clues. Closest they ever been to finding Ash, and now they had nothing. They weren't even sure if he had escaped Giovanni or not. Now they were worried about Pikachu, too. If the mouse wasn't there protecting his friend, then how did Ash defend himself? Where in the world did the mouse go in the first place?

The children were trying their best at searching, but were too distracted by thousands of scenarios buzzing through their minds. Reshiram was able to stay more focused, since Legendaries can't really daydream, but she too feared the worst.

Suddenly as the trio was walking across a small courtyard, they all heard a strange noise. They blinked. But before they could exchange glances of confusion, a yellow streak shot out from a shadowed passageway.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu wailed.

The trio gasped in relief and dismay. They found what they were looking for, but something was definitely wrong. Pikachu was covered in bruises and dirt as he looked pitifully weak and exhausted. But when the fleeing Pokémon noticed them, he gave an excited cheer and new energy flowed through him. He ran a little faster straight towards them. But instead of going to one of the children, he quickly noticed Reshiram, a Legendary guardian. Taking a flying leap, he slammed into her chest. Reshiram stumbled in surprise slightly, but protectively wrapped her arms around the terrified creature.

"Reshiram, help! That crazy lady is after me!" he cried.

Reshiram blinked, completely caught off guard. A moment later, the very trainer Pikachu was talking about appeared from the same spot he appeared from. She quickly scanned the area before noticing them, and so Pikachu. Her wild look changed into a glare.

"Hey! That's _my _Pokémon!" she fumed.

Everyone just blinked and stared, too stunned to respond and still trying to process what just happened. Seeing that they weren't about to talk, the girl stormed towards them.

"Give it back!" she demanded. "I saw it first, square and fair!"

Iris was the first to snap out of it. Her annoyed fury matched the spoiled trainer before them.

"What are you talking about?" she snapped.

The girl pointed at Pikachu. "Pikachu is an ultra, ultra rare Pokémon! I'm gonna catch it! You're going to give it back because I found it first!"

Cilan gave a quiet gasp when it came to him. She thought Pikachu was wild! And no doubt she believed that they were trying to take Pikachu for themselves. The teenager stepped forward and attempted to explain.

"Hold on, this is a misunderstanding," he persisted. "This Pikachu already has a trainer."

"Oh? Where is he, then?"

Everyone exchanged glances. She really had to ask that? Iris blurted it out.

"Um, we don't know…" she stammered.

This made the trainer furious. She stomped her foot and turned her body rigid with her arms straight next to her sides. She had her hands clenched in fists.

"Ha! I knew it! You greedy people are trying to take my catch all for yourselves. Give it!"

Iris mirrored her fury. She stomped a couple steps forward, her body just as stiff. She threw her fist and made a deep scowl.

"Look, you spoiled princess!" she hissed. "Pikachu already has a trainer who we're friends with; we just don't know where he is right now. So pack your bags and hit the road!" Axew followed in suit by leaning heavily on her shoulder and pointing an accusing finger at the trainer. He glared and rapidly yelled a volley of insults. When the girl dropped her mouth and stared in shock, Iris added, "I'll prove it to you by tossing a Pokeball at him!"

That just made her serious again. "Oh, no you don't! If we're going to decide who gets Pikachu, then let's battle! Winner gets the prize!"

"You're crazy!"

The rebellious trainer merely glared and stuck out her chin in defiance. Iris gritted her teeth and growled, realizing there was no negotiating with her. Battling was the only choice. She snatched out a Pokeball.

"Alright, let's—"

She was interrupted when suddenly an arm appeared in front of her and cut between Iris and her opponent. She looked over to see Cilan standing firmly, eyes narrowed in a determined glare with a solemn expression.

"I'll take care of this," he vowed slowly.

"But—"

He cut her off again with a playful glance. He let a smile cross his face. "Don't worry, I got it."

The girl was tapping her foot impatiently and her arms crossed on her chest. She glared at them a moment more before demanding, "Well? Are we going to do this or not?"

Cilan and Iris exchanged an unsaid message. With a nod, they switched places. Iris stepped back while Cilan stepped forward in front of her. His expression was neutral as he called, "I'll be your opponent." Then going back to habit, he placed a hand on his chest and introduced himself formally, "I am Cilan, one of the Gym Leaders of Striaton City!"

The girl's beautiful eyes gleamed. "Name's Shakira!"

The two pulled out their Pokeballs.

* * *

Shakira and Cilan stood several yards away from each other with plenty of room surrounding them. They had enough space for a low-grade battle. Cilan decided they needed a set of rules.

"Okay," he called. "This will be a one-on-one battle—"

Before he could continue, Shakira threw another fit.

"That's not fair!" she insisted. "One chance to get a Pikachu? No! Three-on-three!"

Cilan suppressed a sigh. Being a Gym Leader, he was used to handling with demanding trainers. He knew how to handle them. Sensing Iris was about to storm over and wring the girl's neck, he quickly spoke up.

"Look, that's how we did it at my gym," he explained formally. "No one ever complained. If challengers could accept those rules for a gym badge, you can accept this. And besides, such odds will add so many spices to this recipe!"

Reshiram gave a confused look and glanced at Iris. She wasn't very good with human slang and symbolism. "Eh?"

Iris merely shrugged and shook her head. "Don't ask."

Shakira tilted her head and a wondering expression appeared as she thought about Cilan's words. After moment, she lifted her head back up with a confident smile.

"Okay, then," she said, "I guess it'll take that bet. But I promise I'm gonna win!"

"That's the spirit!" Cilan cheered.

Through silent agreement, the battle begun.

Cilan folded his arm across his chest, holding his Pokeball by his ear as he twisted his body. He twisted it back into place and swung his arm to its full length. He used the momentum to give the Pokeball extra flight. As he made the motion, he called, "Go! Dwebble!"

His Pokeball struck the ground and bounced back up into the air. As it flew a couple feet above the ground, it split in half as a white blob emerged and a Pokémon materialized.

It appeared to be a shrimp-like insect Pokémon with a bronze exoskeleton. It had black round eyes on its tiny head with a small mouth. Two huge pincers hovered just above the ground. Covering over half of its body (actually Dwebble's body emerged from it) was a medium size dark-gray rock in the shape of ragged shell.

"Dwebble!" Dwebble called as it surveyed area.

Once it appeared, Shakira threw her own Pokeball. "Come on out, my darling Scott!"

A dog appeared across from Dwebble. It had a blue coat of fur on its back with a tan pelt covering the rest of its body. Thicker fur on its face made it look like it had a mustache. It was a Herdier, a Pokémon common in Unova. Shakira took no time in shouting an order.

"Scott, Take Down!" she yelled.

The Herdier, Scott, barked and jumped into a charge. Halfway towards its opponent, suddenly powerful glowing energy surrounded it and the run seemed much more intimidating.

"Dodge it, Dwebble!" Cilan shouted, throwing his arm.

At the last moment, the tiny insect took a jump with all its strength. It was proved to be worth it as the heart of the attack missed and the barrier of energy passed a millimeter under Dwebble's feet. The Rock Inn Pokémon landed neatly on the ground and faced it opponent. Seeing it missed, Scott cut off the attack and skidded to a halt before ramming into Cilan. The Gym Leader decided to take advantage of Scott's moment of inaction to attack.

"Rock Slide!" he called.

"Dwebble!" his Pokémon chanted as it extended its pincers above its head. Suddenly multiple portals appeared above Scott. Large glowing red boulders appeared, crawling out of midair like slugs. Once fully formed and captured by gravity, the boulders gained speed and streaked toward the ground, threatening to crash in a shower of meteors. Shakira squealed.

"Eek! Scott, get out of there!"

The dog immediately turned around and ran for it. It barely avoided the rocks, but was able to flee the drop zone before the Rock Slide slammed onto the ground, filling the air with dust and a clap of thunder. Once Scott realized it had a straight shot at Dwebble, it stepped into another Take Down. To Cilan's dismay this one was a direct hit, slamming into his insect Pokémon. Dwebble screamed before flipping over Scott and crashing in a heap near Cilan. Scott turned around and skidded to a halt.

"Give up yet?" Shakira mocked.

"We're just warming up!" Cilan called. Dwebble stood up back on its feet and gave a determined cheer.

"You asked for it! Scott, Wild Charge!"

Scott growled and shot off, digging its paws in the ground and kicking up dust. Two steps into the sprint, another coat of energy enveloped the Loyal Dog Pokémon. This one was crackling with intense electricity and glowed brighter than the Take Down. Cilan couldn't come up with anything, so he was forced to watch the attack slam into Dwebble. The Rock Inn Pokémon cried as it was sent flying. It skidded onto the ground, Scott still following.

"Bite!" Shakira ordered. Scott leaped into the air and hovered over its opponent, jaws opened wide with teeth glowing.

"Dwebble, get up and use X-Scissor!" Cilan shouted.

Dwebble's eyes shot open, revealing a determined glare. Just before Scott came down on it, the insect jumped up and met with it. The dog was caught off guard as Dwebble's sliced its claws, a purple trail following. The attack made an "X" made of energy as Dwebble slashed across Scott's head and chest. The dog's body bent backwards and it let out a loud wail. Like a ragdoll, it slammed onto the ground and bounced before tangling in a heap. Before Dwebble could even touch the ground, Cilan went ahead and called the next order.

"Rock Slide!"

Once the bug-type landed, it copied the same motion as before. Multiple rocks appeared from an invisible realm and began to fall like rain. Scott, too stunned and twisted to move, was forced to take the heart of the attack. Shakira screamed as crashing and thunder-like noises filled the air with dust and shockwaves emerging from the crash site.

Both trainers stared at the settling cloud, waiting for the result hiding in the center. Reshiram and Iris leaned in a little, also solemn. Finally after what felt like eternity, the cloud dispersed, revealing an unconscious Herdier lying flat on its back. Cilan grinned. And of course, Shakira was overreacting. She gave dismayed wails before finally returning her defeated Pokémon. She immediately threw a tantrum: stomping her feet several times, pumping her fists in the air, and making a dance of anger.

"No! No! No!" she hissed. "Rematch! Rematch! Rematch!"

Iris decided enough was enough. She ripped Pikachu out of Reshiram's arms; startling the Pokémon duo, but they knew to trust her. Iris stormed out to the center of the field and gently placed Pikachu on the ground. The Mouse Pokémon was curious what was going on, but stayed obediently. Iris said nothing and barely showed emotion as she fished in her pocket to find a spare Pokéball. When she pulled it out, she expanded it. Shakira watched in shock, dropping her mouth and widening her eyes.

"Oh!" she wailed. "You're going to catch it in front of me, too?"

Iris didn't reply as she flipped the Pokeball out of her hand, tossing it towards Pikachu's head. Shakira dreaded seeing the worst, but gasped when the ball simply bounced of his head. The Pokémon winced, not liking be hit by a Pokeball, but understood Iris's intentions. When she caught the returning Pokeball, she shot a glare at Shakira.

"Get it now?" she called sternly.

Shakira stared on for a moment more, blinking as she digested what just happened. Suddenly she let out a wail and clumsily sank to her knees. "Wah! It wasn't even wild!"

"OH, COME ON!" everyone yelled.

"Well, that was a complete waste of time," Reshiram grumbled.

"At least we got Pikachu back," Iris protested.

The Mouse Pokémon was cradled in her arms, much more optimistic now that he was with friends. Plus Iris and Cilan had healed him with medicine, so he was feeling much better. Axew poked out of Iris's hair and leaned over her shoulder, craning his head towards Pikachu. The friends exchanged several laughs. Reshiram, however, remained solemn.

"What of my hero?" she asked.

Iris turned to Cilan. "What do we do? We have no idea what happened to him; never mind where he is."

The older trainer hummed and became solemn. He folded an arm over his chest and held up his head with his fingers resting on his chin. So deep in thought, he closed his eyes in a doze. His friends stared at him, the suspense killing them. At last, he opened his eyes with a laugh. He snapped his fingers and announced, "Oh, I got an idea!"

"What is it?" Iris asked, leaning forward slightly.

Cilan grinned. "I think it's time we call a couple of our friends."


	19. Chapter 18

Giovanni paced in his office, grumbling under his breath. Persian was curled on the couch, grooming herself. She had enough city grime to last her a while. But her master had better things on his mind than to worry about his pet.

"Delia, this is your fault," he cursed.

He had finally found his nephew! But now that brat would never cooperate. Giovanni hadn't meant to lose his temper so badly; he was in a bad mood that day. He spent the entire night before trying to reorganize his forces. Sure enough, when Giovanni returned, he found his executives had made a mess of things and nothing was as it should be. Even more, the crime lord was anxious to interrogate the new prisoner, Ash's kidnapper, but only to discover his memory was wiped. The fool could barely remember his own name. But Giovanni was not fooled. There was no way the criminal had done some sort of last resort or his associates daring to oppose him. No, someone had _infiltrated _his organization.

By the end of the night, Giovanni had dealt with bad news right after another and was sick of it. And later that afternoon he had to deal with the worst side of Ash.

He had to find a way to talk to the boy. Ash was going to join Team Rocket. That destiny had been chosen for him long before his birth.

And with that, Giovanni stormed out of the room.

* * *

Ash slowly opened his eyes. Immediately he was greeted with a migraine headache. The trainer moaned loudly and planted his palm on his forehead. He rested his head back, only to feel plush. He blinked his eyes open to find himself on a bed.

It was queen-sized with one of the sides pressed against the center of the wall. On the opposite wall was a lone door. The room was dark, barely allowing Ash to see a couple of other pieces of furniture and another door at the end of the bed. Ash was snuggled neatly in the bed's luxurious satin sheets with a thin expensive-looking comforter.

With another effort, Ash pushed himself to a sitting position. It caused his head to pound, but he ignored it. What happened? Suddenly memories of Nimbasa City flooded his mind. The shock was so great Ash couldn't help but give a choked yelp. The realization was so much clearer now, making the boy feel ill. He had been traveling with the leader of Team Rocket! The most nefarious man in Kanto… had right in front of him. Then he shivered as a more recent memory came into play. Giovanni had told him they were family… No! There was no way!

The denial summoned a rebellious spark in Ash. He flipped the sheets off of him and quickly slid out of bed. The result was a vicious blow within his head. Ash cringed. His own uncle did this to him? Enraged, the imprisoned boy stormed over to the door, which was off to the bed's side. Of course it was locked. He immediately began pounding on it with all his might.

"Heeyyy!" he called. "Let me out!"

There was no reply. He pounded on the door a couple more times, but quickly gave up, realizing it was futile.

He then turned on his heels and stomped back to the bed. He sat on it, the force of his impact making it bounce. He crossed his arms and made a face. He looked exactly like a toddler pouting, but he was actually thinking, trying to connect the dots.

Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket, claimed to be his uncle. How? Mom had _never _mentioned any uncles or aunts, or even any other excess family. It was just them. Ash had never even found clues in photo albums or other ancient family stuff. It seemed logical that Giovanni was simply lying, trying to mess with Ash's head.

No… Ash saw it in his eyes… he was telling the truth. Then who was he then? If he was an uncle, he was either related to his mother… or his father.

Ash didn't know much about his father. All he knew that his father had died before his birth, when Delia was still pregnant. Mom would tell stories of him a couple times, but that was only when Ash was little. To be honest, Ash had never thought about his father. He liked his life as it was and there was rarely that empty feeling. Mom just offered him too much love and comfort for abandonment to set in. And when she sensed her son was really depressed, she would summon the courage to comment about his father, reassuring the boy that the memory of the man still lived on.

Other than that, Ash's father wasn't existent. Maybe there was a reason for that… What if Mom never mentioned him because she secretly feared him? Feared him because he was related to a monster… That had to be it! Giovanni was his father's brother! And speaking of the devil…

Right after Ash's last thought, the door swung open and a casual Giovanni stepped. Immediately Ash snarled and leaped off the bed, jumping to the corner of the room farthest from the bastard. Meanwhile, Giovanni closed and relocked the door, blocking it off with his huge figure. He was probably trying to discourage escape. When he noticed Ash's fury, he lifted his hands and put on a half-calm, half-concerned expression. His voice was soft, like he was talking to a frightened animal.

"It's okay, Ash," he murmured.

Ash scowled.

"I'm sorry I scared you. I never meant to hurt you." **(That's actually partially true, guys.)**

"You're crazy!" Ash immediately shot back. The man had tried to kill him in Nimbasa… now he's playing innocent? The boy took a couple more steps away in disgust. "You're nothing but a freak who's sick in the head."

Giovanni closed his eyes. "I know everything's confusing right now—"

Before he could properly finish, Ash decided to spat, "Whatever sins my father did, has nothing to do with me!"

Giovanni's eyes blinked open. He stared at his nephew in confusion, baffled by the sudden change in subject. "Huh?"

"It's my father, isn't it?"

The man blinked again, this time completely dumbstruck. That needed a picture… After a few moments of silence, Ash jumped when suddenly Giovanni burst out laughing. It was a deep, hefty laugh, something like an old man would have. But because Giovanni was pure evil, it had a sinister note to it that sent chills up and down Ash's spine. Finally he shot a glare and demanded, "What's so funny?"

Giovanni cupped a hand over his eyes, trying to calm down. His booming laughter was dying into chuckles, but his shoulders still shook his violently. Finally he gave one last chuckle before looking at Ash with a _very _amused stare and a wide grin. That probably looked scarier than if he was glaring.

"You think I'm your father's brother, don't you?" he asked.

It was Ash's turn to be confused, but he nodded. This caused Giovanni to chuckle again and boldly step forward. Ash tried to back up, but quickly realized he was running out of room. He tried not to tremble at the tower looming over him, covering his vision like it was preparing to suffocate him. But everything disappeared as his heart stopped and his body turned numb from Giovanni's next words.

"No, Ash… your mother, Delia, is my little sister."


	20. Chapter 19

"No, no, no…"  
Ash's back was pressing firmly against the wall now, but that didn't hold him steady at all. He was trembling madly and his shaky legs threatened to collapse underneath him. His eyes were impossibly wide, but that didn't help his blurry vision.

It just couldn't be… His mother—his mother was the gentlest, fairest, nicest person he knew his entire life. And he didn't think that because they were related. How… how could someone like that be a sibling of the world's… Ash's spinning thoughts faltered when a volley of insults zoomed through his mind. He was so stressed he stumbled, causing Giovanni to take concern. But he paused when Ash suddenly questioned through a mutter, "How?"

His eyes were shadowed and no emotion came from him. Giovanni answered.

"My mother—your grandmother—was the founder of Team Rocket," he explained. "Delia and I were her children and only family. We were raised within the foundations of our mother's organization."

Ash interrupted him. "Mom… was a Rocket?"

Giovanni nodded. "Just like me."

"But you told me you had a starter… that you traveled Kanto.

"Yes. Despite our strict lifestyles, your mother and I wanted to travel around the world. We convinced our mother to let us go on our Pokémon Journeys, a little late of course, but she accepted. We each selected a starter she offered us, the same professors offer. I chose a Squirtle; Delia a Charmander."

Ash tilted his head at that. A young Giovanni with a happy little Squirtle. Harder to believe, his sweet mother with a fierce fire starter. He didn't know what he needed the pictures for: for proof or help him envision it. Then he realized something. Maybe that tiny Squirtle wasn't happy; and Mom wasn't so sweet then. Giovanni went on, drawing Ash out of his thoughts.

"We left then. Sometimes we traveled together; other times we decided to follow our own path. It would be several years before we finally returned to Team Rocket."

_I wouldn't have gone back, _Ash noted. But the fact Giovanni said "we" worried him. His mother was that committed? Instead of voicing it, he asked, "So what happened?"

"We went back to our original lives: being part of Team Rocket under our mother's eye. But this time since we were far older and matured, we were allowed to be sent on missions. We were very skilled and worked hard to please our mother. It went like that for several more years. Though, unfortunately, Mother fell ill. Delia continued her contributions while I took the place of my mother." Giovanni suddenly paused, but went on. "Mother died not long later. As older and better, I inherited her business and made it into my own. I made Delia my head executive."

"Mom was an executive?" Ash echoed. He tried to make it a quiet mutter, but Giovanni heard him.

"Yes, a very good one. She gave me advice and helped shape a new Team Rocket."  
"New?"

"My mother's organization was mostly black market business. Simple profit. The 'missions' she sent us on were mostly to capture a Pokémon for a soul purpose of a deal or to oversee an exchange. I wanted my Team Rocket to be more."

Suddenly images and information Ash knew about Team Rocket flashed before his eyes. Sounded like his grandmother's Team Rocket was simply a like company, except it was illegal. The current Team Rocket was way more aggressive and cruel.

"_You_ made Team Rocket on how what's it is today," he growled.

Giovanni simply shrugged. Then something hit Ash.

"Wait, Mom _helped_? She let Team Rocket become evil?"

"She only did because that how close we were. To be honest, Ash, she was never really interested in criminal affairs. It was simply part of her life."

That relieved the stressed boy a little, but he was shocked Giovanni actually confessed that. He watched his uncle close his eyes and mutter, "Maybe that's why she lost interest altogether when she met your father."

"My father?"

"He was also a member of Team Rocket. A field agent. Your parents met during a mission: he was one of the agents and she was overseeing. I'm not sure what exactly happened. Love at first sight, I suppose. Well for some foolish reason they decided to hide their affair from me. When I did find out, I was outraged with the fact a scum had taken my little sister."

Ash held back a chuckle. He couldn't believe how his uncle was talking.

"I tried to separate them, but they had to nerve to spite me with getting married."

"Then I guess I was born."

Giovanni nodded. "A little less than a year in the marriage. By then I was forced to accept their relationship."

Something came across Ash then when he finally picked up on Giovanni's tone. "You tried to have my father killed, didn't you?"

The crime lord's only response was a grunt. The boy tried to ignore that, but it intrigued a new question.

"Then how did my father die?"

Giovanni flinched and his body turned rigid. He was obviously uncomfortable, even trying to turn away. But feeling his nephew's stare boring into him, he knew he had no choice. Dozens of even more buried memories surfaced, but Giovanni, a cold-hearted criminal, did not have the courage to explain. Instead he simply said, "On a mission."

It was the truth. Unfortunately it wasn't enough for Ash.

"What kind of mission?"

"The kind where we all underestimated the situation."

Even more of the truth. Ash glared at Giovanni, but the man would say no more of the subject, that much he was sure of. But Giovanni couldn't help but think and bite his tongue from accidently saying out loud, _The kind where it made my dear sister hate me for so long._

When Ash realized his uncle was no longer talking, he snorted. He had a lot of questions, and now he was scared, even though he didn't show it. He never thought about his father until now. He never allowed himself to envision his death. But now his father was finally revealed… and he wasn't even allowed to know his final fate. Something really bad must have happened. He looked down again.

"Can you at least tell me his name?"

"Joseph."

Joey Ketchum. Or did he have another name? Was Mom's surname her own? Then that would make Giovanni Ketchum. Ugh, that didn't sound right at all. So Ash was left with Joey Ketchum, his father. Knowing he could no longer follow the subject, he went on.

"So when _did _my mother leave Team Rocket?" _Oh, please don't tell me she's still a part of it._

"After Joseph's death. She decided she wanted her son to live a healthy life." When Ash cocked an eyebrow, Giovanni explained, "She had been wondering about leaving Team Rocket for a long time. Maybe her entire life. She had even discussed it with your father. Your mother and I were exposed to hardships a child should never see. It what made us who we are. She didn't want the same for you. She wanted you to have a 'normal' life and to choose your own path."

"Then why are you kidnapping me?"

"Because I wanted you to be part of Team Rocket more. It is your legacy, Ash. I told Delia this. We talked about it for a long time, even having a fall out a couple times. Finally we worked out a deal. You would live under her care, while I supported you two. You were free to do whatever you wanted and go on your own Pokémon Journey if you wished." Suddenly Giovanni quickly raised a finger. "But, if you ever came in contact with Team Rocket, I would have permission to recruit you."

Ash froze. Giovanni noticed this and a cruel smile crawled on his face. His voice was filled with mock. "Ashton," he said calmly and cheery. It had more affect with him calling his nephew by his alternative name. "How many times have you crossed paths with my organization?"

Ash fought the urge to tremble. Thousands of memories flooded the boy's mind. Defeating the Team Rocket trio day after day. Meeting them, coming within inches of them, and fighting over his precious Pikachu countless times. It wasn't just that, though; Ash didn't even know if they counted. No, memories of dozens of full-scale Team Rocket operations he witnessed also flashed. He didn't just watch them from a distance; he was the lone soul that disabled those very missions. Giovanni's wonderment was a question indeed.

_How many times did I meet Team Rocket?_

He gritted his teeth. "Why?" he growled. "Why go through so much to get me?"

"The fact is that you're my nephew is one reason," Giovanni replied amusingly. "But you see, Ash, my mother's final wish was for her organization to flourish. I want to keep that alive; that is why I took her place. And I wish to keep going. I want you in Team Rocket because you are my only heir."

* * *

**A/N: Okay, guys, I have an idea. While writing Giovanni and Delia's backstories, I couldn't help but think of some really cool ideas for them. So I'm wondering if I should write a story from this of Giovanni and Delia's childhood. I see it's been done before, so I'm questioning if it's worth it. Tell me your opinion of this and whether you think I should try it or not. I think it might be fun.**

**PS: Uh, sorry if the story is getting off track, but it'll go back in a few chapters. I just have a lot of ideas and I want to try them all for no reason. But please realize I kinda tried to warn you in the summery.**

**PSS: While it's on my mind and even though strictly prohibits it, I need your help with this story. As you have read, I have included Team Plasma several times. I have no idea why I did that; story just ended up that way. But I don't want to keep going off the plot so much, so I want you guys to decide how you want this to happen. It can go two ways: I can come up with a lame excuse for my poor writing and get on with the damn story OR (I promise it'll be worth it) to base the next few chapters of the Meteonite episodes and then get back to some serious business. Please tell me of your opinion.**

**Congratulations, now you know one of the many reasons why I call myself The-Stupidest-Author-Ever. But that fact you got this far and decided to deal with my idiocy really praises me, especially with the fact I just got into fanfictions. Thank you, everybody!**


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N: I've decided that the next few chapters will be based on the Meteonite episodes. These episodes were postponed due to the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami (I looked it up so I wouldn't accidently get it wrong somehow). The Pokémon Company claims they will air the episodes eventually, though they borrowed some scenes for another arc (not telling spoilers). Even though, I think they're open for fanfictions. But if you happen to be concerned of spoilers, then you can skip these chapters and I'll put up a notice when it goes back to the original plot. I'll try to make it where you didn't miss much.**

**I'll use this chapter to explain OCCs. Giovanni is a little OCC, since I have him softer than usual in some scenes for the sake of character development. I'm not going overboard with Cilan and Reshiram's quotes (example: Cilan always talks about cooking and Reshiram always talks about truth) because in the anime I have trouble just understanding them. And of course everyone's slightly OCC but I just wanted to point those out for you guys. Enjoy!**

* * *

A few hours later Giovanni was in his office once again. The crime lord was forced to dig up a lot of buried memories in his conversation with Ash, actually causing quite a stir of emotion within him, but tossed them aside the second he stepped out of the room. He had no time to worry about the past; what was done was done. But he couldn't escape past events just yet: after he left Ash, he was able to pull up the boy's records and also multiple Team Rocket reports. He wanted to learn about his nephew and how he had affected his syndicate.

The man was able to find exciting discoveries about his nephew, such as an endless list of accomplishments and recommendations. He didn't have time to research them all. But as for how the boy related to Team Rocket… was not pleasing at all. Dozens of operations the brat ruined. And not just simple, pathetic missions; operations that would have changed the fate of Team Rocket. If that wasn't aggravating enough, after looking up some more reports, Giovanni found out that Ash had a habit of mocking field agents that had little to do with him.

The crime boss almost broke his delicate drinking glass from his deadly grip in rage. The boy had no respect for Team Rocket… Team Rocket's only heir spends more of his time destroying it than anything else. Little brat… Giovanni would change that. Suddenly a beep from his desk phone interrupted his thoughts.

"Mr. Giovanni, sir?" his secretary, Matori, called.

"What is it?" he sighed.

"I have Dr. Zager on the line."

"Humph. Patch him through."

"Yes, sir."

Matori's voice disappeared and was replaced with a couple more beeps as the line was transferred. There was a moment of silence before a raspy, old voice called out.

"Zager, here," the scientist announced.

"Ah, Dr. Zager," Giovanni greeted formally, but fought the urge to roll his eyes at the overuse of his name. "I believe you have a good reason for calling me?"

The question was formal and cheery, though both understood it was actually a threat in disguise. _This better be the most important phone call of your life… or else._

"Oh, yes," Dr. Zager assured excitingly. His tone was the same as Giovanni's. "I would like to inform you that excavation in the Desert Resort has been completed."

Giovanni raised his eyebrows. "You mean the Meteonite?"

"Indeed. It's within a large temple that was heavily buried. We completely unearthed it and even set up base inside. Your forces are standing by for further orders."

Suddenly Giovanni smiled, his lips spreading ear-to-ear. He looked back and forth between his phone and his computer before finally training his gaze on the computer screen. On it was his nephew's file, with Ash's picture dominating most of the screen. Giovanni snickered evilly.

"I think I found out what to do with you, Ashton."

* * *

"Ash has really been kidnapped?"

Iris, Cilan, and Reshiram nodded solemnly. Ingo shook his head in disbelief in one last time before turning to his brother, Emmet. The twins looked exactly alike even though they were around their late thirties. They even had matching outfits that was a mixture of a boss and a conductor's attire, save for the dominant colors. Emmet wore white while Ingo wore black. Emmet was almost ignoring his sibling as he was hunched over a control panel, rapidly pressing random buttons.

They were in the subway system's control room. The walls were covered with large screens showing various activities happening across the subway and city. Dozens of control panels crammed the room with the main one in the center.

When Cilan realized they were going to need some extra help, he didn't hesitate to suggest the Subway Bosses, two close friends. He believed they had more control over the city than the mayor himself. There was no one better to go to. Emmet decided to speak up and explain what he was doing.

"You said Ash was in the city, yes?" he confirmed. "Then we should be able to find him on the security cameras." He looked over his shoulder. "Do you remember what sector you were in?"

All eyes fell on Reshiram, who only stared blankly. After a long moment, she stammered with uncertainty, "I don't know."

Iris and Cilan suppressed a sigh while the Subway Bossed turned away in disappointment. The twins went back to work with their guests waiting nervously. They had the room to themselves as there weren't that many workers today anyway and when the twins noticed something was wrong, they saw it wise to have privacy. Turned out they were right. Finally after what felt like eternity with the only noise was tapping buttons, Emmet suddenly exclaimed a shout of triumph.

"Got him!"

Everyone's heart skipped a beat as the man pressed another button, revealing a picture on a large screen filling most of the wall. Then the room was filled with gasps. The picture was obviously from a security camera as the shot seemed to be from a weird angle, but it was clear enough. In the center of the shot was a tall, well-built man with broad shoulders dressed in an expensive suit. He wore an intimidating expression as he glared at everything in sight. Pikachu, who was still in Iris's arms, allowed himself to whimper as he stole a glance at the Persian following from the corner. But that was not what everyone's gaze was focused on.

In the man's arms was a limp and unconscious Ash, his head hanging from his shoulders. They would've never known he was once carried gently. Wanting confirmation, Iris looked at Reshiram.

"Is that him?" she asked, referencing Ash's captor.

The Legendary's only response was a growl that didn't even sound fully human. Iris turned back to a solemn stare at the screen, getting the message.

"Oh, my," Ingo breathed, "I certainly wasn't expecting that."

"I was relieved I found him," Emmet confessed. "But I'm also stunned."

Ingo narrowed his eyes. "Hmm, I wonder who that man is. I certainly never have seen him before. How about you, Emmet?"

His twin stared for a moment longer. "Well… to be honest, he _does _seem familiar. I'm afraid I can't place him, though."

"I can help with that," a voice announced.

Everybody turned to the doorway. Due to the poor lighting, the figure was dark for a moment before stepping in and revealing his features. It was a man about in his thirties, though he seemed probably younger than the Subway brothers. He had dark brown hair that almost appeared black and true black eyes that seemed deep in thought. He wore a black suit and a large dark tan overcoat wrapped around him. He grinned at the group and his eyes shone.

"May we help you?" Ingo offered.

"Actually, I'm here to help you," the mysterious newcomer replied. He reached into his overcoat and pulled out a wallet to flash his I.D. and badge. "I'm with the International Police. Call me Agent Looker."

It was only Reshiram who didn't widen their eyes as everyone gapped that someone with such a status was before them. Reshiram squinted her eyes to prevent a coming headache.

_I will never understand human customs_, she thought as she realized she had no idea what they were talking about.

Though she played along as Emmet reminded, "You say you know this man?"

Looker nodded. "Indeed." He neared them so they could hear him better. "His name is Giovanni, a powerful businessman from Kanto."

"Oh! I've heard of him!" Emmet exclaimed. "Said to be like a Legendary."

"I think he's a little more than that," Iris muttered.

"I'm afraid so. He has been accused of several black market crimes, though unfortunately there has never been enough evidence to charge him." He gave the image of the devil a stern glare before adding though a mutter, "Plus he has Kanto's best lawyers backing him up." He suddenly widened his eyes as finally he noticed the boy in his arms. "Holy cow! Is that Ash?"  
Before anyone could he reply, he leaped across the room and shoved between the Subway Bosses until finally his nose was inches from the large plasma screen. His jaw was dropped with his eyes round as dinner plates as he stared up at the picture, trying to distinguish its details. Finally Iris caught up.

"Wait, you know Ash?" she exclaimed. Looker reluctantly pried his eyes from the screen and whirled around to face the young girl.

"How could I _not _know him?" he questioned. "He helped me more times in Sinnoh than I care to count!"

"Then maybe it's a good time to repay him," Cilan offered. "Apparently Giovanni has him. And obviously you know more about Giovanni more than anyone here. But we know _a lot _about Unova, as well. I say we combine forces, and we'll focus on saving Ash together."

Looker hummed in thought. "Well, you do have a point. I've done as much as research as I could, but there's nothing better than a local as a tour guide. But you're just children, and you have no idea of the risks involved. I can't let you in on this."

"True," Ingo agreed, speaking before the newcomers could protest. "But my brother and I have seen these kids in action. They're _very _resourceful and quite impressive. This may be a completely different situation, but I'm positive they can take care of themselves and lend a hand. And besides," he added as he sensed their anxiousness and eagerness, "I don't think you can stop them."

Looker gave a defeated look as he also observed them. Right now the mixed group were wearing half-flattered expressions as they were praised by Ingo's words, but Looker also sensed their fiery spirit within. They were not going to give up without a fight.  
"Alright," he sighed. "You can come." Before they erupted in cheers, the detective quickly raised a finger and added sternly, "But you do everything I say."

Iris saluted. "Yes, sir!"

"So how are going to save Ash?" Cilan asked, hoping the man was thinking of something they weren't.

Looker grinned. "I can pull some strings."


	22. Chapter 21

**A/N: FYI, I do not know a single word of Japanese. Furthermore, I looked all over the Internet looking for translations of the Team Rocket VS Team Plasma trailer, but failed. Point of me telling you this is that the quotes will not be accurate and will be based off complete guesses and what I just want them to day. So don't rely on my fanfiction to translate the episodes and if you do happen to know some Japanese or whatever, don't ridicule me for giving poor assumptions.**

* * *

The sun burned intensely in the Desert Resort. Nothing breathed as steam and waving images rose from the desert floor. The land was covered with dry, cracked soil with no signs of life, not even a small Pokémon or a speck of green. No clouds hung in the sky, having an endless sea of blue stretching in every direction until finally meeting the endless brown earth.

The heat was especially unbearable for the group of humans. They were completely covered with clothing of a deep black, making them direct targets. But they dared not to complain or to attempt to shed their burdens. They especially vowed this when suddenly a dull roar came from the sky above.

They were already in waiting, so it took no time for them go jump into position. They formed to two lines with a space in between facing each other, each group composed of almost a dozen. They made their bodies stiff and straight while staring before them, not allowing their gaze to shift at the slightest. They appeared as statues of the desert, nothing like living humans.

Quickly the roar rose into a pounding thunder as a steel beast slowly descended only a matter of meters away from them. The aircraft was made of light steel with a bold "R" on its front, bringing its only real color. On the end of the jet's wings was an engine that kept it airborne. The engine's flames were angled downward as it gently made its way to the ground. Dust flew madly as the extra wind created a mini sandstorm, even getting into the Rockets' eyes, but they still did not move.

Finally the roaring died at the jet landed and the engines were cut off. Immediately the belly of the beast opened with a ramp projected outward into the ground. After a few tense moments of silence, they watched from the corner of their eyes as a forbidding figure stepped out of the black gaping hole and into the brilliant light. Giovanni. The glorious leader of Team Rocket.

The Rockets' bodies grew even stiffer as he neared. This was no exception for a small subgroup closest to him.

It consisted of a tall, beautiful woman with long magenta hair that curved behind her back. She had gleaming blue eyes that were filled with arrogance and pride. Next to her was a slightly shorter man with shoulder-length blue hair and brilliant green eyes. Squeezed between the two humans was a short cat, even though it was standing on its hind legs. It had the same fur as Persian with the same kind of whiskers, though instead of a jewel was a gold charm and it owned blue eyes. It was Meowth. Beside them was an old man cloaked in a lab coat. He had poofy white hair covering his head, almost looking unkempt. He only owned one spectacle over one eye. Finally the last member of the abnormal group was a lean and disciplined-looking man. He had long dark-blue hair ending past his shoulders and intense olive-green eyes. He wore a gray uniform instead of black; sparing him from some heat despite his clothing also smothered his skin.

Giovanni made his way to them and came to a halt in front of the woman and the man. It was Jessie and James with their talking Pokémon, Meowth. His expression was stern and cold as he stared at them.

"For once you fools did well," he surprisingly complimented, despite his voice was still deadly. "I expect this operation to turn out well."

"Sir!" they simply said in unison, yet they made sure to stand straighter and they fought from making their reply an excited squeal and hide the beaming pride in their eyes. The Boss _never _praised them.

Like nothing had happened, Giovanni moved on, walking a controlled stride through his men. Meanwhile, the trio went back to being statues, since technically they were not relieved yet. They were so focused with staring ahead and lost in their own thoughts they failed to notice a short figure step out of the plane and made its way over to them. And that figure failed to notice them as the person worked hard on avoiding gazes and stare at his own feet. It wasn't until the two parties stood side-by-side they recognized each other.

Jessie, James, and Meowth along with Ash himself all bent backwards at the same time, pointing an accusing finger at the other with a look of shock.

"WHAT ARE _YOU_ DOING HERE?" they all screamed.

The surrounding Team Rocket agents paid no attention to them, not wanting to accidently break formation and look like a fool. The old scientist however, looked at them curiously while the elite next to him, Pierce, had his lips formed in a slight smirk. The quarreling group was starting to recover from the shock and preparing to bombard the other side with insults and demands of answers until a harsh yell interrupted them.

"ASHTON!"

The group jumped sky high and even some of the other Rockets flinched. The trio and Ash turned to see Giovanni was now waiting impatiently meters away, glaring over his shoulder with his own body slightly turned. At first the newly promoted trio feared that he was aiming for them, but actually with a second glance they realized he was targeting the twerp. Ash let his body go loose and he grumbled under his breath, but he obediently left his long-time enemies to trudge over to his uncle. The trio only stared after them, blinking.

Once Ash settled by Giovanni's side, he continued on. The party behind them finally realized they could move, where they slowly began to crawl away. Ash trudged by Giovanni's long stride, reluctantly trying to keep pace. After a few moments of awkward silence and adverting his gaze, Ash summoned the courage to grumble, "My name is Ash."

Ash was his legal name; he even saw it on his birth certificate. He _hated _being called Ashton. And apparently Giovanni preferred calling him that, either to torment him or that obsessed with being formal.

"You'll always be Ashton in my eyes," Giovanni replied in the same manner, not even moving his gaze as he continued to glare in front of him.

"Why?"

"It was what we were originally going to name you. Delia decided to change it at the last minute. Who knows why."

Ash blinked as he thought about it. "Then who came up with Ashton?"

At last Giovanni glanced at him, but merely over his shoulder and his gaze still hard. "I did."

Ash faltered, the revelation of his name's origin hitting him like a bag of bricks. Oh, when will it end? He landed on resuming staring at his feet. He was sulking so much he probably would've continued on if he wasn't lucky enough to hear Giovanni's feet scuffle into a halt and feel the air suddenly empty in front of him. He came to an abrupt halt as well and looked up, startled. Immediately his mouth gapped.

Before them lay a giant crater. It was probably around a mile deep with sheer walls. Cutting into the walls were makeshift ramps and stairs with construction equipment all over the place. But the most noticeable feature of all was the large temple within its center. It was probably at least three stories high, or heck, maybe even six stories. Despite being centuries old and buried for over half that time, the temple's multiple vibrant colors seemed to glow in the bright sun. The temple's roof was curved in a large dome with tiny towers projecting from other parts of the building. Of course there was some damage as it was covered with cracks and holes, the colors obviously were faded from their prime, and some sections had completely caved in. Leading to the temple's main entrance was a steel ramp that was recently constructed with an elevator halfway across the distance.

Ash stared in awe, mystified at the sight before him. For a moment, he completely forgot he was surrounded by Team Rocket and failed to notice one's approach.

"So I see why there was such a delay," Giovanni mused to the newcomer, bringing Ash out of his thoughts.

"Yes, not only was it quite buried but quite large as well," Pierce replied. "Plus we had to keep it on the down-low so we wouldn't attract too much attention."

"You're in the middle of a desert."

"There's a highway being constructed through the heart of desert, and you have to include the occasional trainer, aircraft, and annoying authority that happen to come by time from time."

"I trust you have a system to take care of these interruptions?"

"Yes, we have an over ten-mile radius surrounding the site."

"Excellent."

Ash was staring back at the temple during the men's conversation. When he decided there wasn't much of interest, he decided to fulfill his last amounts of curiosity. But only when he looked back, he had a strange sensation capture him. It was like he was some under a spell, like a Hypnosis. His thoughts dulled severely as he stared blankly at the ancient building, unable to pry his gaze. Suddenly the weird spell disappeared as something grabbed his shoulder and shook him.

"Don't fall asleep on me," Giovanni chuckled.

Ash shook his head wildly, startled and trying to shake it off, before glaring at the tower.

"I'm fine!" he insisted.

"Good." In a single motion, Giovanni turned the boy around and pushed him forward toward the steel structure. "Now move."

Realizing he had no choice, Ash trudged toward their new destination, the two criminals stalking behind him. On the ramp waiting patiently was the Team Rocket trio with a weird looking scientist. Ash decided immediately he didn't like him. The old man had deep black eyes that carefully analyzed everything, even the rock next to him. And the boy didn't like the feeling when those analyzing eyes focused on him, which they were right now. He was also creepy because if there ever was a description of a crazy-looking scientist, it would be this guy.

Ash was forced between the two parties and went back to adverting glances as the co-workers exchanged words. And then much to his displeasure, they all piled into the elevator together.

* * *

Professor Juniper tabbed continuously on her tablet. The desert sun glowed brightly above her and her co-workers, the heat digging into their clothing. They all wore thick lab coats, but thankfully it was pure white and the scientists refused to wear heavy clothing underneath. This was especially true for Professor Juniper as she wore a gleaming white tank top and a green skirt. Her auburn hair was tied in a bun on top of her head and burned brilliantly in the sunlight.

Though she ignored her co-workers and the heat as she continued to stare at the tablet in her hands, eyes narrowed. She had to find that energy source.

She vividly remembered several months ago of the incident in Castelia City, where a gigantic colony of Ventipede swarmed the city. Using Unova's scientific satellite, they found a strange, intense energy flow coming from Unova's desert, strong enough to disrupt any Pokémon for miles. But when they finally got all their equipment together and set up expedition, the energy source disappeared. And now the professor finally had time to return for one last look. But unfortunately so far, they had nothing.

That was until something tapped Juniper's shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts. She reeled around to see the face of her head assistant, David. He was several years younger than her, but had a brilliant mind and never hesitated. His bushy brown hair also gleamed in the sunlight, but his brown eyes were solemn. He suddenly pointed into the distance.

"Looks like we have company," he warned.

Juniper followed his gaze to see a brown truck speeding toward them, light dust flying behind it. It took only a few moments for the car to skid to a stop in front of them. Immediately the noise of clicking and banging attracted everyone's attention as its contents spilled out. Professor Juniper blinked to Pokémon Rangers.

They stared at the scientists with hard expressions as they quickly approached. And even though Juniper sensed they were trying to hide it, she saw the traces of annoyance in their eyes.

"I believe you're in a restricted area, ma'am," a male Ranger informed.

"I wasn't aware of that," Juniper countered.

"Well, you are now."

He made a movement to touch her arm to possibly usher her away, but she immediately leaned out of his reach.

"I have clearance to be here," she protested.

"No, you don't," her antagonizer retorted stubbornly.

"I am head professor of the Unova region! I have permission and _I do have the clearance _to investigate strange activity within the Desert Resort. Either leave me and my colleagues alone or escort us if it's that important."

Now the Ranger was swallowing his impatience and suppressing a sigh. He didn't have time for this… Professor Juniper was starting to notice the determination in his eyes.

"Look, ma'am," he snapped, "I am under orders, too. And my orders are not to allow anyone, even you, in this area. So if you please leave immediately."

Professor Juniper was about to strike back until she noticed something particular. As a scientist and a social person, she had a habit of reading people like of book. First of all, these people were paler than most Rangers, who were usually tan from being outdoors so much. Second, they seemed impatient and nervous, fidgeting in place. And there was a look in their eyes…

Juniper sighed. "Very well."

David gapped at her decision, but she shot him a subtle look to not to protest. He quickly received her message. They rounded up their co-workers and began to file back to vehicles a distance away, the Rangers' glaring boring into their backs.

"What was that all about?" David asked.

"Those men are lying," Juniper hissed to him. "They're not who they say they are. David, the moment we get back to Castelia, we're calling the authorities."

Little did she know that the head "Ranger" heard her.

"Wait a second," he called.

The two scientists reluctantly turned to see a dreadful sight. The Rangers were pulling out Pokeballs and glared at them with deadly eyes.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, they're Team Rocket.**


	23. Chapter 22

The head Team Rocket agent threw his Pokeball at the scientists. Professor Juniper and David stumbled backwards as a Pokemon materialized at their feet.

It was a stubby creature, only two feet high with tiny legs, but still a tank. Its body was covered with white steel inches thick in the shape of armor. Underneath that armor Juniper sensed were insane muscles that owned the strength to do anything it wanted. Large glowing blue eyes glared at her with its razor-sharp fangs and claws flashing.

It took Juniper a few moments to remember this was a Lairon. Wait! That wasn't right! Lairon nor any of its evolution family were found in Unova! Professor Juniper had to bite her tongue from screaming out her realization. These men were not only lying, they weren't even from here!

She heard her more skittish colleagues let out dismayed yelps and scurry for their own trucks. The Rockets stared hungrily after them, wondering to chase after them or wait just a few moments to give them a head start. After all, they weren't going to get very far. Professor Juniper noticed their looks and decided she was going to have to distract them. She shot another subtle gaze at David, and he nodded his head in agreement. They tossed their Pokeballs at the same time.

From Juniper's Pokeball was a large mouse-like creature with silky gray fur. Its big round ears and fluffy tail twitched as it scanned it surroundings. David's Pokemon was more rat-like with brown fur and its tail standing straight up. Both creatures stood on hind legs and stared at their opponent with watchful eyes. Minccino and Patrat.

Juniper cursed silently as she analyzed the battle's set up. A steel-type powerhouse against two meek normal-types. The scientists' weren't expecting confrontation at all, so they never thought of bringing more powerful Pokemon. But looking over her shoulder, she noticed her trembling colleagues, making her much more determined. The battle began.

"Minccino, Swift!" she ordered.

"Min!" the Chinchilla Pokemon confirmed before leaping into the air.

She made a dance, her tail glowing. She snapped it around, having dozens of glowing stars form immediately and speed toward their target. But only to Juniper's dismay, the attack bounced off Lairon's steel hide like it was nothing. Its trainer smirked.

"Water Pulse," he ordered.

Lairon gave a throaty growl before opening its jaws. Suddenly a blue orb of water formed between its teeth, swirling with energy. Within a single toss of its head, the foreign creature threw its attack at the ground. Immediately a small but powerful wave spilled over the sand, the wall of water racing and slamming into the researchers' Pokemon. The duo gasped as their Pokemon disappeared in their possible grave with choked cries. Juniper watched as the wave carried them several feet away before the attack finally subsided, leaving two soaked rodents wheezing in muddy sand.

"Now Iron Head!" their enemy commanded, wasting no time. His voice was louder this time, excited for the coming victory.

The Lairon let out a bark-like growl before suddenly charging forward. Despite have laughably stubby legs and running through loose sand, the Iron Armor Pokemon shot like a dart. The armor covering its head began to glow a silvery light with the sun's reflection bouncing off intensely. Professor Juniper followed the creature's determined glare at its target. The mice were still dazed. The attack would kill them.

"No!" she cried, unable to watch any Pokemon be hurt in front of her.

Without even thinking, she leaped towards her Pokemon, throwing herself between them and their attacker. David gave a shout of protest and warning, but the stubborn woman ignored him. That was until she noticed she was directly within Lairon's path. Juniper froze with a gasp, fear getting the best of her. There was no stopping the Lairon now.

Then suddenly the earth exploded.

Professor Juniper stumbled backwards as a thick column of sand shot into the air, its origin directly under Lairon's feet. Its startled roar was lost in the thundering noise, and was replaced by another.

"KKRROKORROOOKK!"

And suddenly a mass within the sand came to life. Mouth dropped, Juniper watched as a new creature leaped out of the column, teeth and claws flashing. It skidded onto the ground and turned towards the fake Rangers, the sand finally falling back to earth as rain.

The tall creature stood proudly on its hind legs, a long tail swinging in between. Brown scales the color of the land around it rippled across its skin with pitch-black stripes like crevices cutting across its body. Its massive jaws were a long snout with jagged teeth poking out. Above its snout were it eyes covered by… red sunglasses?

Everyone stared at the newcomer in surprise, but the Krokorok simply continued to stare at the Rangers. Juniper wondering if the creature was thinking about attacking or simply waiting for the enemy to make the first move. She decided it was not worth sticking around to find out as she ordered David for them to make haste.

They took off—David scooping up their finally unconscious Pokemon and Juniper heading straight for their trucks where their colleagues impatiently waited. Team Rocket immediately decided to spring into action, but the Krokorok would not let them. As the first foolish agent charged by it, Krokorok snapped at him with its powerful jaws, missing by millimeters. The poor person yelped before leaping away, signaling for everyone to be more wary. But the head agent didn't have time for this.

"Get the truck!" he yelled.

He and a couple of his co-workers clambered into the vehicle while the rest of them stood guard over their aggressive attacker. The head agent took shotgun with the driver jamming the keys into the ignition. They all listened for the roar of life, but it never happened.

Instead, the car made a struggling growl. It was making no movement.

"What the hell?" the leader roared. "Get us out of here!"

"I'm trying!" the driver wailed.

He tried twisting the keys again, only for a terrible sound similar to multiple rocks heavily scraping against each other to come from the hood. The car still did not move. With a frustrated groan, the head agent leaped out of the car, ignoring the now rampaging Krokorok. He quickly opened the hatch and lifted the hood, determined to fix the inconvenant problem. Last thing he was expecting was to find the engine frozen in ice.

* * *

Professor Juniper sighed, falling back into her seat. She let herself steal a glance at the window, which was nothing but a blur as the land raced by. The cars were almost at top speed as they raced for Castelia City.

The head researcher was reliving the ordeal, analyzing what had happened.

_That was too close for comfort, _she thought.

But she still didn't believe what she saw was real. Even though, she knew what she had to do. She silently pulled her cell phone from her pocket and quickly jabbed several buttons. She pulled the device to her ear and waited, praying.

"Agent Looker? This is Professor Juniper. I believe we have a situation in the Desert Resort."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for short chapter! Expected it to be longer. Only doing this because next chapter has a lot going on and I want it to only focus on that.**

**This part is my version on how Professor Juniper got into the action. The Krokorok is indeed the one with the sunglasses in the anime. It seems random that he shows up, I agree, but after research on the episodes (for fun & for these chapters), confirmed he does makes a cameo appearance. So I agreed to put him in and have him save Professor Juniper, for those who happen to love him and mostly to show he's a good guy (Pokemon) and express my opinion of his cocky fighting nature.**


	24. Chapter 23

Ash stared in awe at the gigantic double doors that served as the main entrance for the buried temple. The all-stone doors were painted a fading green with careful golden stretches tracing along their canvas. They were pulled open out of the way, most likely by the Team Rocket agents who discovered the temple.

It seemed foolish Ash would let himself get distracted so easily, but he was desperately looking for any excuse not to face his dark reality. He was now forced to walk obediently by Giovanni's side like his loyal Persian while his least favorite gang of Team Rocket members surrounded him. Every instinct and cell in his body screamed for him to bolt, but he was well aware such an attempt would result with a sucker punch from every direction.

Without a word, the group stepped into the forbidding darkness of the temple. Ash fought back a cough as the temple was what it was to be expected: musty air with a thick presence of dust. Other than that, though, Ash was surprised to see through the darkness that the temple was actually in good shape: colors still noticeable and relics relatively in one piece.

They walked down a large hallway with poor lighting until finally Ash lifted his head to see light pouring from an entrance before them. He let himself squint his eyes as they walked through the gate of light, having the boy's imagination believe they walking into heaven. When they walked through and Ash's eyes adjusted, he let out a small gasp.

They were in a large chamber, the roof so high over their heads it disappeared into darkness. Ancient pillars ringed around the room, each only a few feet from the wall behind it. The ground in front of the pillars sloped slightly to another platform which surrounded an empty space in the form of a perfect circle. Machines and other equipment all labeled with the Team Rocket logo crowded the platform.

The squished party began to spread out across the room, all of them looking around with curiosity. Ash was carefully observing his surroundings and was about to ask what was going on, but he never got the chance. Suddenly the spell from before returned, but stronger this time.

The boy moaned as his mind clouded and his body swayed. He looked up, hoping to blink it away, but only for it to worsen and for him to groan louder. But his complaints were cut short when suddenly all the air in his lungs was sucked out of him. And then immediately his vision changed. Multiple flashing lights not belonging to the mortal world danced across his eyes and in between them the boy glimpse half-second images. He wanted to snap out of it, the remainder of his conscious mind fearing he would go into a seizure, but his body was frozen in place and his mind trapped. And then the flashes formed into a vision.

Images of the colors were still wild, but the vision leaned toward realistic details enough for Ash to comprehend. He saw the very room they were in now, only at a different angle. But the room was different as he noticed it looked newer with no modern technology. And instead of Team Rocket members, he saw across the room were ancient guards that almost looked like medieval knights. Some were standing strictly and others slouching casually, but they all wore solemn expressions as they all stared at the same thing. In the center of the chamber was an intense glowing orb of light, its rays reaching every corner of the room. The orb was slowly lowering out of Ash's view, but the knights' gazes followed it. Then a voice that Ash swore reminded him of Reshiram sounded through his mind.

_"We tried to seal it away. It was of too much power. Of too much danger. But we did not understand the consequences."_

"Snap of it!" a harsh voice snapped, dragging Ash back to reality. Or maybe not.

When the boy saw the intense light had faded into the gloomy present, the hypnotizing spell was gone, but replaced by a more frantic one. A spell Ash very much understood. He whirled around to the source of the snap to face Giovanni glaring down at him, obviously not happy his nephew had zoned out again. But Ash ignored it.

"We got to get out of here!" the boy wailed.

"Excuse me?" Giovanni scoffed.

"You don't understand! We're not supposed to be here! We have to leave!"

Too caught up in his panic, he actually tried to barge past Giovanni and run away, but all it took was for Giovanni to place his hand on his chest to stop his tracks.

"Oh, no you don't," the man warned.

Ash was still desperate.

"Uncle, _please_!"

"Enough!"

The man's snap showed he had low patience and didn't acknowledge that his nephew had called him family. Curiosity getting the best of them, the surrounding Team Rocket stole a glance when they heard their Boss's hiss to see the duo having a stare-down. At last Ash cowered, lowering from Giovanni's leer with a whimper. Giovanni snorted before wrapping his large hand around Ash's arm. He dragged the boy around him to hand him to a waiting Pierce.

"Watch him," the Boss ordered.

"Yes, sir," Pierce confirmed.

Giovanni walked away with his elite agent guarding over Ash, who was once again looking straight at his feet, even more depressed. Giovanni made his over to Dr. Zager.

"What now?" he asked.

The scientist was playing on his Team Rocket tablet, analyzing his data and research. "Working on that. But it is my opinion, however, before we do anything, it is best to trigger the Meteonite's power. To confirm its identity, of course."

Giovanni hummed in thought, an idea coming to his head. He looked over to a waiting Jessie, James, and Meowth.

"Bring it out," he ordered. All three nodded before jogging over to some equipment.

_Bring what out? _Ash questioned, but did not dare to speak after his last attempt.

After a moment of silence, the trio returned, but not empty-handed. In between them was a large handheld machine. It had a long, sleek nose that came out of a box-shaped console lined with buttons and exposed wires. Ash spied that the top half of the console was made of glass, and saw what was inside. A cold gray rock with many holes and crevices, almost looking like a single touch could shatter it. It was placed neatly inside its mechanic cocoon with wires digging into it.

The trio carried the weird machine out into the open where the boys handed it to Jessie to carry. She gained quick control over it and tightly wrapped her slender fingers around the thin handles. Ash watched from his angle as she pressed a couple of buttons.

Almost immediately the wires within the case began to crackle with electricity, driving an unknown energy into the mysterious stone. And it took no time reacting. Suddenly the rock began to glow, taking the color of an alien purple. The light began at the heart before capturing the entire material and even generating mini shockwaves of energy. When the stone was as bright as it possibly could get, Jessie aimed the spout at the empty floor below her. She pressed another button, were the tip began glow the same color as within.

"Alright, fire!" she yelled through a laugh.

She pressed another switch, where immediately the build-up of energy was released. A concentrated beam shot through the air, bringing a hum of energy. The beam struck the floor, where immediately a brilliant light engulfed the stage. Quickly following it was a strong presence of power filling the air, digging into the humans' bodies.

Ash squinted his eyes and went to cover them, but before he had the chance, the light had already faded. He perked his head up, blinking. But everything was still again with Jessie holding her new weapon loosely with it looking as lifeless as before. Ash was able to glimpse Giovanni glaring at the scientist. The scientist only nodded back with an emotionless expression. Giovanni took this as permission to continue.

"How do we get it out?" he demanded.

_What's "it"? _Ash wondered. Was it forgotten to mention that the poor boy was never once in the loop?

Dr. Zager tabbed his screen a couple more times before replying, "There seems to be a unique system controlling the temple. Ah, I believe over here should to it."

He mused his final words as he looked off to a spot of out their view. He walked away, letting his arms fall to his side. Everyone leaned forward to see to the side of the room behind the shadows of the pillars was a large alcove, like an exposed closest. Dim blue lights lit up the walls from the clumsily placed equipment by rookies. Dr. Zager ignored this as he focused intensely on the sleek and skinny half-pillar. It was blackened in the shadows, looking as forbidding as the feeling it radiated. But once again it was unregistered as the old man comfortably settled behind it.

"This should do it."

He played with something on the half-pillar's dash out of everyone's view. Though it seemed the second he touched it, the slender stone suddenly began to sink into the floor. The observers couldn't wonder about it much as immediately afterwards the temple reverberated. They then turned to the empty stage in front of them, an unknown instinct giving them instructions. No one breathed as they watched the following scene that seemed to be in slow motion.

Suddenly the stage glowed, lines of light filling up the floor's crevices. Like it had gained a life of its own, the floor began to stir and move, circular plating twisting in place. And then it began to rise. Great stone still turned as it rose higher and higher, taking the shape of a mini and unique pyramid. The stone was cut into levels with smooth ramps connecting them. But that wasn't long as with one vibration, the ramps were cut by their own levels, revealing stairs. And then everyone finally focused to the flat top of the stone hill.

A plate of stone was moved to side, forming a circular hole at the hill's heart. Suddenly rays of light poured from the hole, and only continued to increase in intensity as the source was nearing. The powerful spell from before returned, but this time far stronger, making the un-expecting Team Rocket members waver. And then a curved and carefully designed platform rose up, a glowing stone calmly settled on top. It was similar to the first, but at least a couple times larger.

Then suddenly with an invisible shockwave of energy, the stone glowed multiple times brighter, reaching the darkest parts of the ancient temple. Ash froze with a dismayed gasp as he immediately recognized it as the light from his vision. All of them stared on in a mixture of pure shock and awe, convinced their eyes were deceiving them. But it was very much real. Once again no one breathed until James voiced what they were all thinking.

"Incredible," he breathed.

Everyone used this to find their normal senses, but it was slow. But this wasn't the case for Ash as he was second to recover. He slumped into a depressed form, expression solemn. And then he whimpered in a voice so low that Pierce next to him and he himself properly didn't hear it; "We're not supposed to be here."

But his words were completely forgotten as Giovanni stood on the edge of the platform, like he imagined that all he had to do was reach out and take the light. His hungry eyes were round and wide with a menacing smile.

"Yes," he hissed. He then threw his hands up and looked above him, like he was thinking of taunting the heavens themselves. "With this power, I will rule the entire world!"

Ash wanted to do nothing but cover his ears from his uncle's sinister laugh that followed.


	25. Chapter 24

Unknown to the occupants of the temple, the Meteonite was giving more power than they imagined. Awakened from its long slumber, the stored up energy of the awesome stone was released all at once. Invisible to almost all eyes, it unleashed a massive shockwave of pure power, reaching for miles. More power pouring from the ancient temple's walls joined, forcefully digging into the surrounding soil. This caused several great cracks to break into ground, rays of light pouring from the crevices.

The few Team Rocket agents that happened to witness this shuffled uneasily, wondering what was going on, and if this was supposed to be happening in the first place. But at the same time, they stood in awe at the magnificent power. The Power to control the World.

* * *

Two miles away from the excitement, a lone figure wandered calmly through the deserted land. The wind blew the loose sand around him and tugged at his brown cloak. His hood hugged tightly to his head and carefully hid his face, keeping his features shadowed.

Despite the fact he was far away, he felt the strong vibrations within the earth and the disruptions of energy in the air. Ah, so he was closer than he thought. A cruel smile crawled onto his face. The fools.

He snapped his cloak, having it exposed his chest. He wore an all-gray suit, save for the unique symbol on his heart. The same emblem Reshiram spied in Lacunosa Town. The insignia of Team Plasma.

"Soon," the man purred, "that power will belong to us."

Even further away, within the crowded streets of Nimbasa City, a small unique group rested in a hotel. The same hotel that happened to be the same one Ash found himself in, little to their knowledge. But their thoughtful doze was broken as suddenly Reshiram leapt to her feet.

The group stopped what they were doing and snapped their heads up, startled. But Reshiram paid no mind as without warning, she lunged to the window, letting out a snarl that wasn't human. She almost rammed into the glass until she suddenly stopped, but her nose was only a millimeter from the barrier. A weird expression was on her face as she gave a wild glare to the world beyond, watching something no one else could see.

"Oh, my!" Cilan exclaimed, finally finding words after the half-a-second motion.

"What is it?" Iris cried, sensing the concern pouring from the Legendary. The dragon did not answer very clearly.

"Fools!" she roared. "They will destroy us all!"

* * *

Later that evening, Reshiram had somewhat recovered from her outburst, but she now sat sulking in the corner of the room. Meanwhile in the center of the room were Iris, Cilan, and Looker with their guests Professor Juniper and David. After calling Agent Looker, the man advised the professor to join him, where she changed course to Nimbasa City. The detective informed her of their location, where she found them quickly. She was now telling them of her tale.

"I can't believe that!" Iris wailed. Someone really impersonated Rangers and tried to attack Unova's dearest Professor? Then a thought came to her. She quickly twisted to face Cilan who was deep in thought. "You don't think—"

"No doubt," Looker interrupted. "It's Team Rocket. They're in the Desert Resort."

"What could they be doing there?" Cilan asked.

"It seemed like they were looking for something," Professor Juniper observed.

"But what?"

"The Meteonite," a grumpy voice mumbled.

All eyes fell on the legendary-in-disguise who had finally joined the conversation, though she was still pouting and avoided their gazes. David was actually the one who decided to question her.

"The Meteonite?" he echoed.

"An abomination to this world."

Iris and Cilan exchanged glances, both extremely confused but sensing her tone.

"I'm not liking where this is going," Cilan commented.

"Um, ma'am," Professor Juniper acknowledged, though she had no idea who this person was. Only Iris and Cilan knew her real identity. "Do you mind telling us what you mean?"

With a sigh, Reshiram reluctantly left her post and trudged over to the group. Her eyes were stone, but she attempted to explain, fighting the rage in her voice.

"Long ago, a Great Rock fell from the Heavens," she began. "It raced across Unova's skies, pieces of it falling to the earth. Now while the Rock finally came to the borders of Unova, **(*coughing* hint hint) **a great piece from its heart fell off early. This Heart fell into the center of Unova, the heart of the land's civilization.

"When it first came, many were ignorant of it, even choosing for it to be forgotten. But there is always one that observes closer than the rest. And this one was the wrong one. An ancient Brotherhood was the first to discover it. But instead of using its magic to bring peace, they wished to use it for evil purposes to accomplish their dreams of power."

Agent Looker cocked an eyebrow, his following along bringing an image to his imagination. "An ancient Team Rocket?" he inquired.

"If you wish. But they were far crueler. They had no respect for living creatures, not even their comrades, and especially their own Pokémon. They stole the Heart and took it to their temple. After unlocking its powers, their hunger reached its peak, and they declared for war. They tore the rock apart, but for sinister purposes.

"Every member and Pokémon was given a single fragment, but as the fragment gave as much power as its parent, it was effective. The entire Brotherhood owned the powers of the Heavens in their hands. They became immortal.

"They attacked, destroying the land as if it was nothing. Many fought bravely, but failed. And almost as soon as it began, they made their way to the civilization's capital. They were to level it and become the new rulers.

"But the rulers and people of the Capital refused to submit. Gathering power and forces from all over the land—all over the world—they formed together one last stand against the Brotherhood. And on a moonless night, they met for battle."

Suddenly Reshiram faltered, closing her eyes while biting her bite and trembling. The entire room immediately knew what this meant. Even though, Reshiram pulled herself together and went on.

"Battle of the Meteonite it was called," she informed. "And it was the darkest battle in the history of the world. Many from the other side of the region claimed they could hear the sounds of war from their homes, even in their sleep. Rivers of blood flooded the land, along with endless destruction and sorrow. But that was nothing."

No one liked this. No one wanted to know. But even though, Iris went on in a meek voice, "Then what happened?"

Reshiram's intense blue gaze glared at her. Then she said in a strained voice, "There is a reason the Battle of the Meteonite was the darkest of all.

"There were no survivors."

* * *

**A/N: I'm so evil, aren't I? Not only do I give a dark chapter, I make it short, too!**


	26. Chapter 25

It took a long time for Reshiram's words to sink in. And even then, the group still questioned her accuracy. Two entire armies? Hundreds—thousands—of souls, slaughtered in one battle? T-there had to be a mistake! Iris used her thoughts to continue the conversation in private.

_"How do you now all of this?" _she asked the Legendary.

_"Because I was there," _Reshiram replied, trying to contain her stress.

_"But you said there were no survivors!"_

The dragon shot the girl her intense glare, understanding what Iris was thinking and was not appreciating it. Suddenly all the air in Iris's lungs was sucked out as a vision flashed before her eyes. She saw an image of the Legendary dragon in her true form, but mighty flames were surrounding her and she was screaming in anguish. The vision twisted and no time elapsed before in Reshiram's place was the Light Stone. With a flash, the vision disappeared and Iris was blinking in the hotel room, trying to read what she just saw. She realized the same moment her breath returned.

_"Not only did I lose my physical form, I lost everything," _Reshiram went on. She suddenly shuddered. _"Everything_. _I might have well as to move on._"

That was when it came to Iris. _"Reshiram, the Battle of the Meteonite, was that when—when you're previous hero—"_

The dragon quickly answered her, even interrupting her awkward question, but Iris had never heard such a solemn and sorrowful voice. _"Yes."_

The girl said (or thought) nothing else, chilled to the core. But she was saved from having to think about it much as suddenly Agent Looker burst through the door. He looked serious, but Iris could see the victory dancing in his eyes.

"One thing is for sure," he began, "we cannot allow Team Rocket to have the Meteonite. Who knows what they could do with it, intentional or accidental. If we are going to do anything, is that we're going to stop their operation and get the Meteonite back."

"How do we do that?" Cilan asked.

Agent Looker allowed his zeal and amusement to show as his lips curled into a smile. He suddenly tossed a white, fancy envelope, the piece of paper landing on the coffee table with a slap.

"I said I could pull strings, didn't I?"

* * *

"You're not coming with us?" Iris asked, looking at Reshiram over her shoulder.

"I cannot," the Legendary replied. "They have already seen me. If I go, I will endanger all of you."

Iris couldn't help but show her disappointment. "But what if something happens?"

Reshiram gave a reassuring smile. "Do not fear, little one, I will not be far."

* * *

Ash decided it was the most boring and worst party he ever been to. He didn't know if that was because he was surrounded by Team Rocket agents or it was one of those awful classical adult parties.

It was held in an elegant ballroom in one of Castelia's fanciest hotels. Beautiful grand chandeliers illuminated the room in a brilliant light, not allowing any corners of darkness. Faint classical music played, even though no one was listening to it. Tables of food and places to sit were spread out across the floor, each carefully decorated.

Filling the rest of the space were the party's guests. Most of them were none other than Team Rocket agents in disguise, taking advantage of the situation to escape their painful work. The rest of the guests were the city's powerful officials, businessmen, and simply rich families. Ash tried to hide his disgust towards them. Team Rocket's presence was obvious, and the official and businessmen were probably bribed into coming, while the wealthy members had no reason to be there. They were only attending because they saw it something to do, oblivious to the fact they were surrounded by criminals. Ash quickly came to the conclusion that they were either too foolish, or more likely, too selfish to care.

The boy wanted nothing other than to be anywhere else, but as Giovanni's prisoner, he was forced to come along. And as Giovanni was the honored host, they were one of the first to arrive.

Ash tried to keep his distance from him, aimlessly wandering across the gala. But once he found himself out of his uncle's protection, he immediately felt exposed. He was like vulnerable prey being swarmed by hungry sharks. It was because of the uncomfortable sensation that, no matter what the boy did, he eventually found himself by Giovanni's side. The man would only acknowledge him with glances or some half-hearted greeting before returning to his business. But Ash stayed next to him like the good little heir he was.

"How about you sit down?" Giovanni offered. "You need to relax."

Ash was with him again, but he was restlessly fidgeting and avoiding curious glances. Giovanni, however, was settled comfortably in his seat by his table as he sipped on his overpriced bourbon. Ash turned on him with an angry glare.

"I'm surrounded by criminals and people who are too self-centered to do anything," he hissed. "How am I supposed to relax?"

And with that, the hot-headed brat stormed away. Pierce, one of the few agents still in uniform and on duty, saw his leave. The elite agent moved to follow him, but halted when his Boss raised his hand.

"Let him be," the man sighed.

"He's obviously not cooperating and bound to cause trouble," Pierce insisted. "The boy's not use to this."

Giovanni glanced at his nephew as he disappeared further down the ballroom. "He'll adjust."

Ash sighed as he forced to slow his rampage. The looks weren't worth it. Several times he had thought of escaping, but the forbidding figures clad in black surrounding the room's perimeter made him think twice. Now bored, the boy eyed and made his way of the buffet table, lined with extravagant appetizers. He was placing several spoonfuls on his plate when suddenly a figure appeared next to him.

"Long time no see," a friendly voice murmured to him.

Ash drew a short gasp before glancing at the man next to him. He was wearing a neat tux and had his head lowered, but Ash immediately recognized him.

"Agent Looker?" he gasped.

The IF agent shot him a friendly and amused look. "You didn't think we were going to leave you, did you?"

That was when Ash looked over the detective's shoulder to see a _very _familiar group. They were all dressed in formal attire and wearing facial masks like everyone else, but the boy recognized them immediately. Iris, Cilan, and even Professor Juniper! He immediately smiled and did everything in his power not to shout and jump in joy. Instead, he pretended to be controlled as he asked in a whisper, "So what happens next?"

"Don't worry," Looker assured, "we got a plan. Just stay low until it's time."

The boy nodded obediently and the two went their separate ways. Looker went back to the band of imposters while Ash continued to wander. But to his dismay, what he was anxious of during the entire party happened. As he made his way to the edge of the gala, he found himself facing two Team Rocket members. The lights of the city were shining brightly behind them and only blackness served as their eyes through the masks they wore.

"The Boss seems to be keeping you really close," one of them observed.

"Do you mind telling us why that is, little boy?" his friend asked.

Not liking their fake friendliness and officially creeped out, Ash merely snapped, "Ask him yourself."

He walked away, quickly making his way to Giovanni once again. The man was where Ash left him.

"How was your trip?" the crime lord joked.

"Shut up," Ash hissed back before reluctantly sitting down next to him. Giovanni chuckled. Ash was impatiently waiting to run, but he decided to take Looker's advice.

_I just have to wait just a little longer,_ he thought.

Suddenly an assistant materialized by Giovanni's side. He whispered something into his Boss's ear as the businessman glared at him over his shoulder.

"Yes, very well," Giovanni rumbled, nodding.

He shot a warning glare at his nephew before standing up. Carefully watched by his bodyguards, Giovanni made his way to the central stage. The gala was quickly hushed and all attention focused on him. He began his speech and spoke with the best businessman voice Ash ever heard.

"I would first like to thank you all for coming," he greeted formally. "And now I will show you the main reason I have brought you here. May I introduce to you, the power of the Meteonite!"

Immediately several 3D holograms appeared behind him, showing multiple different kinds of data pulled from the Meteonite earlier that day. The real Meteonite was safely locked in a laboratory somewhere in the building, hidden from all prying eyes. But almost everyone in the room was highly educated, so they immediately understood what they were being shown. They leaned in, raw interest and excitement gleaming in their eyes.

"The Meteonite is a unique asteroid that fell to our world thousands of years ago," Giovanni explained to them. "It is composed of alien material not found in this solar system. But the most intriguing feature of this meteorite is the amount of energy it holds. A single fragment holds an enormous amount of power. A single fragment can give an endless supply of power to a small city. And I will like to present to you that my organization has possession of this phenomenon and my scientists are continuously making new discoveries of it. Soon, we will have complete control over it." Caught up in his speech, he lifted an open hand and showed a look victory. "And we will use its power to change the world."

Ash didn't feel like he properly finished his sentence before suddenly all the lights went out. Immediately there were starts and yelps as everyone found themselves in complete darkness. Even Giovanni looked surprised. But no one got to dwell on it much as suddenly a roar filled the air.

A large silhouette filled exterior wall that was all window. Before anyone really noticed, blinding lights on max snapped on, viciously forcing their way into the ballroom. There were startled gasps and people were forced to cover their eyes that just finished adjusting to the dark.

"What the?" Agent Looked hissed in the commotion.

Through the glare, Ash saw a large helicopter with its door open. Sitting inside was a man dressed in a weird knight-like tunic, glaring at the crashed party. Next to him was a large purple cat with yellow spots and underbelly. Ash immediately saw the orb of energy forming between its jaws. But before he could give a shout of warning, an almighty Hyper Beam fired.

It completely shattered the entire window and tore its ways into the room. Screams could be heard over the roar of the attack as it struck the ceiling above their heads. It dragged across the building, sending chunks of debris falling and fearful guests running.

During the chaos, something rammed into Ash and pulled him to the ground. The boy crashed face-first and settled onto his stomach. Even though it was the best idea to cover his head, he looked up, determined to observe the attacker. His eyes immediately brought him to the giant emblem pasted on the helicopter's side, which summoned a frenzy of images dancing across his eyes before he found himself in a vision of memory.

* * *

_Ash sat miserably in his temporary cage. The back of the van was pitch-black and bounced uncomfortably on uneven roads. Pikachu whimpered in his own cage, and all Ash could do was whisper assurances to him. His captor was a fool: he kept Ash completely unrestrained and unguarded. The only thing that kept the boy from going on a rampage was the reoccurring spell that would disorient him and prevent him of thinking of an escape plan._

_But that didn't happen this time as suddenly the van pulled into a slow stop. Ash immediately leaped to his feet, expecting what was to come. A few tense moments of silence, there was suddenly a strained pulling sound as the door opened. A crack of faint light appeared, and Ash charged._

_But he hadn't even touched the door when suddenly an invisible force wrapped around his body. He gagged as a powerful energy completely immobilized him and forced his body to become straight as a stick. He felt his feet leaving the steel ground. During his ordeal, the door opened all the way to reveal Ash's captor and his powerful Gothitelle by his side. The bastard smirked._

_"Thought you were going somewhere, didn't ya?" he chuckled._

_Ash hissed and gave a glare full of hatred. This caused his kidnapper to chuckle again before he ordered his Gothitelle to pull Ash out. He had no power to resist as he floated into the moonlight. Once outside, his captor circled him with amused observation. Ash could only growl in anger._

_When the thief made his rounds, Ash suddenly noticed a large silhouette coming from the shadows. It boldly stepped into the moonlight with them, revealing a tall man. He had long light tea-green hair and red eyes, or eye, as his right was covered by a red eye-patch. His awful eyes seemed to analyze the boy more than the thief. He wore a large, strange multicolored robe. On its crest was an insignia Ash never saw before._

_"Is this him?" the stranger asked. His voice was smooth and formal._

_"Who else?" Ash's captor replied._

_The weird man smirked before ordering, "Let's take him inside, then."_

_And with that, the small group stepped inside a large mansion before them. Ash tried to struggle, but nothing made even an inch. His captors seemed to notice his dilemma, but that only made them all the more amused. Ash floated up a narrow flight of stairs with the men in tow, Gothitelle hovering nearby._

_They made their way down a hallway to a lone door, where the thief leaped in front to open it. Inside was a plain room with a large bed in the center. Once again, Ash couldn't resist as Gothitelle's psychic powers drifted him onto the bed. The men made their way to its foot, still enjoying their sick humor. That was until a serious expression crossed the stranger's face. He shot a glare at his acquaintance._

_"Do it," he ordered._

_Ash's captor nodded before giving another order to Gothitelle. Gothitelle replied before its eyes and body glowed. Ash whimpered as suddenly the disorienting spell returned, but far stronger as he felt the energy in his body quickly drain. He barely registered the stranger making his way over to his side. Darkness was surrounding Ash's blurred vision when he felt the man's hot breath on his neck as he whispered in the boy's ear, "You will serve well. Let's see who comes to save you now." He suddenly chuckled. "Sweet dreams, little boy."_

_And at last, Ash finally slipped into oblivion._

* * *

**A/N: Wow, long chapter. But a lot's going on and I didn't want to split it up because it's all so important. But I'm sure you guys loved it, especially the fact that I finally revealed Ash's experience.**

**I have a busy schedule tomorrow, so I decided to update this early. And next week I have Thanksgiving break, but I'm going to be off visiting family and not near a computer, so I won't be able to update. I probably will be able to make Sunday, though. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!**


	27. Chapter 26

It was Team Plasma. It was Team Plasma who was behind his kidnapping. But he was forced away from the shock as the helicopter pulled away to the other side of the building, dragging a dying Hyper Beam along with it. Once the chopper was out of sight, the building shook and multiple _booms _could be heard from different parts of the building. They were attacking the entire building!

The loyal Team Rocket agent that had thrown himself on top of Ash was leaping to his feet, his co-workers following in suit. Debris had stopped falling, but the once elegant ballroom now looked like a warzone with people running everywhere. The defenseless citizens screamed and hurried for the exit, wanting to be as far away as possible. Team Rocket members were also running, most of them heading towards their quarters so they could change into proper war clothing and obtain their gear. The rest were already in uniform and charging into action with the ones with no life who were tearing their expensive clothes to reveal their uniforms underneath. During the chaos, Ash swore he saw in the corner of his eyes Giovanni storming off, surrounded by what looked like fifty bodyguards. Humph, obviously didn't care to look for his nephew.

Finally he unsteadily made it to his feet, cautiously looking around. His search came to a naught when an overjoyed voice cried, "Ash!"

"Iris! Cilan!" he hollered in kind.

He turned his gaze to see his two best friends racing towards him, relief and joy in their eyes, despite the current situation. He stepped into a sprint to meet them, where they joined in the center of room. They all laughed and embraced each other, finally being reunited. Ash cut off his current hug when a familiar voice reached his ears.

"Pika!"

The young trainer whirled around to see his tiny yellow partner looking up at him, practically bouncing up and down in excitement.

"Oh, Pikachu!" Ash wailed, more emotions surfacing.

He opened his arms wide, allowing Pikachu to scramble onto his chest with a single leap. With a laugh, he tightly wrapped his arms around the Pokémon in a big hug. Pikachu only squeaked in pleasure.

"I'm glad everyone's happy," a woman's voice praised.

Ash looked up from his hug to see Professor Juniper and Agent Looker nearing, their masks removed. The boy greeted them both, happy that there was extra help. The reunion was drawing to a close when suddenly another roar came.

Everyone left in the torn room yelped and twisted around to the opening that was once the main window. A large shape of a helicopter the same size as the previous one came down into view, this one holding a more dreadful sight. While the first only held two passengers, this one was crammed with at least a dozen Team Plasma members. They glared hungrily at their target as the helicopter drifted to the building as close as it could get. Once it was possible, the mini-army took a single leap as one into the building, all screaming battle cries.

The second they landed, they all tossed their deadly Pokémon, who let out screams of battle. Team Rocket replied in the same manner, and the real war broke out. The innocent bystanders screamed and dived for cover, quickly realizing they were in the middle of the crossfire and had no protection.

"What do we do?" Iris wailed.

"Run!" Cilan screamed.

And with that, the group fled the scene.

* * *

It didn't take much to steal the Meteonite. It was barely guarded with everyone at the party and now franticly trying to reorganize. All it took was a couple small charges to blow into the room and dislocate the Meteonite from its protective cocoon.

The head Team Plasma agent appeared collected the entire time, though he was beaming with excitement.

They loaded the Meteonite into a waiting helicopter and quickly made their leave, heading straight for the Desert Resort. They left the rest of the invasion in the hands of their comrades. The head agent slightly wanted to face the leader, wanting to see the look on his face, but he had heard the man had already fled. What a coward.

But he still grinned as he looked out into the night from within the helicopter's belly.

Yes, everything was going to plan. Leave it to their King to create the perfect operation.

* * *

Once Ash and the group barely managed to get outside, some instinct instructed them to look up. Immediately they noticed the gray steel structure barely outlined against the black sky. It was only the neon lights that allowed them to notice it. And they all knew what the structure was.

"Team Plasma's helicopter!" Agent Looker hissed.

"They're getting away!" Iris roared.

"They won't get too far," Professor Juniper insisted darkly. "Come on, David's waiting for us."

She quickly led them down the street. It was empty and silent, save for the occasional roar of battle from the hotel. She took them in a nearby apartment, where she explained was rented to the Research Association. Inside was David waiting for them, but he appeared nervous and jittery as they did.

"Get the jeep," Professor Juniper ordered.

With a single nod, he jogged out of the apartment. Meanwhile, the group quickly changed into their regular, seeing their current outfits weren't very suitable. Once everyone was ready, they sprinted downstairs and leaped outside to see David standing next to a steel jeep.

"Well done," Juniper praised.

"No problem," David replied. He handed her the keys, which she transferred to Agent Looker.

"I think it's best that you drive," she commented.

Looked nodded with a grunt and took his seat. "Do we know where they're headed?"

"Looked like the Desert Resort," Cilan replied as the rest of the group piled in.

David stayed behind, leaving Professor Juniper to take shotgun beside Looker and the three children to squeeze into the back seat. Once everyone was settled and Agent Looker had a destination, he grumbled with a determined glare, "Alright, let's go."

Without warning, he jammed the accelerator, having the jeep take off like a bullet, racing towards the awaiting desert, the original battleground for the Meteonite.

* * *

Despite being unbearably loud in the city, the helicopter flew over the desert's sands quietly, a mere whisper in the night. The land not only looked lifeless, it looked an awful shadowed realm, like it was part of the Underworld itself. But that wouldn't be for long. Soon Team Plasma's helicopter softly landed a flat area of the desert, the soil cracked and unmoving.

The chopper's blades hadn't even come to a complete stop before the Team Plasma agents impatiently waiting inside piled out. They quickly pulled out their cargo: the precious Meteonite stored in a large, high-tech storage box. As the lower members worked on setting it up, the head agent eyed an interesting device that looked like a mixture of a large cell phone and metal detector. He analyzed the data until it brought him a specific spot in the very center of the clearing. After allowing a quick smirk, the commander looked around.

Even though it was almost pitch-black and many other factors, the Team Plasma commander's sharp eyes could see the very faint traces of scars from an ancient battle. Yes, this was the spot. This place had a more powerful field of energy than the Temple. After all, this was the place where the Legendary Dragon took its final stand.

He stood to the side as his comrades pushed the Meteonite within its new shell into place. It hadn't even settled before it started reacting. The rock suddenly began to glow, energy pulses pouring from it. And when it was pushed to the very center on the clearing, its brilliance multiplied tenfold, illuminating the entire area. Team Plasma began to back away, allowing the Meteonite to take over. They were all grinning, especially the head agent.

"With the power of the Meteonite, we are invincible," he hummed.

"NOT IF WE CAN HELP IT!"

All of the Team Plasma agents jumped, startled by the sudden harsh roar. They looked up; only to see three dark silhouettes outlined against the sky. The commander knew immediately who it was, causing him to snarl viciously. Team Rocket…

James, Jessie, and even Meowth descended from the darkness, all wearing powerful jet backs. They unfortunately stuck out in their almost all-white uniforms, but that only made them appear like sinister ghosts coming to haunt them. Most of the group glared up at them in hatred with a red haze covering their vision, but a few were able to see the large gun-like device in the man's arms.

The team was so stiff from anger they did nothing to stop the newcomers as they landed neatly in front of them. The trio gave them glares that were a mixture of confidence and disdain.

"You are to surrender the Meteonite immediately," Jessie demanded, surprisingly in a professional voice.

"And if we don't?" a rookie Team Plasma member blurted out.

Jessie narrowed her eyes. "Then we'll still take it."

The commander was the one closest to them, but he refused to be unfazed by this interruption. He pulled a Pokeball from his belt and expanded it, holding it in a death grip within his hand. An expression of sinister amusement made his face.

"You're not taking anything," he replied menacingly. "One way or another, the powers of the Meteonite will awaken to night, and Unova will have no choice but to submit."

But to his surprise, his threat only seemed to amuse the woman. She cocked an eyebrow and tilted her head, a thoughtful look masking her glee.

"Oh?" Jessie mused. "If that's the case then…" She turned to her partner. "Let's go for it."

It was James's turn to make a sinister grin. He quickly pulled the device into position and pressed the necessary buttons to prepare the stone. Team Plasma hadn't even probably blinked by the time the weapon was charged and the man was pointing it at the still-glowing Meteonite. James's grin grew wider.

"FIRE!"

The universe exploded.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry if it's a little rushed. I want to start wrapping up on the Meteonite arc and plus mostly due to the fact I didn't want to bore you guys to death with specific details (like I did several chapters prior) and make it really long.**

**Oh, no! What has James done? Stay tuned to see what will become of the Battle of the Meteonite!**


	28. Chapter 27

The jeep sped through the uneven desert: bouncing, jolting, and even flying at times through the sands. Ash, Cilan, and Iris, were squished uncomfortably in the back seat, hanging for dear life to the contraption and to their Pokémon. Agent Looker had glared at the "road" ever since they left, never even the slightest glance or recognition. Professor Juniper was the same, but except for glaring at nothing, she was staring intently on the tablet she held in a death grip.

No one dared complain or say a word as they were all trapped in their own thoughts of horrid scenarios. That was until a shocked gasp of dismay came from Professor Juniper. Immediately everyone snapped their gazes towards her, even Agent Looker.

"What's wrong?" Cilan demanded.

"T-this is impossible!" she cried, eyes widening to an unnatural width.

Curious to what was the source of her stress, the children peered over her shoulder to observe her tablet's screen. They saw a makeshift diagram that represented a map of the Desert Resort. But the map's details were quickly disappearing as a green blob originating from the center was rapidly spreading across the screen. The jeep's contents immediately understood that wasn't good sign.

"W-what is that?" Iris stammered, voice almost coming out as a whine.

"This is the same power from the Ventipede incident several months ago," Juniper surprising explained, despite her voice was still in a wail. "I-it's from the Meteonite!" She paused for a split-second, but it was noticeable. She pulled her thoughts into words as she exclaimed, "It's outta control!"  
Everyone mimicked her gasp.

* * *

The city was eerily quiet after the night's events. Surprisingly the war between Team Rocket and Team Plasma wasn't very long as each side decided there were more pressing matters to attend to. The commotion died into silence as the battle caused the rest of the city to fall into a hush. But this was not for peace… it was the hold of breath as realization revealed the excitement was not over.

Reshiram stood solidly on a rooftop, overlooking the bright lights of city around her. Her sharp gaze fell onto the shadowed realm on the horizon. The Desert Resort.

Suddenly the still night came to life as a flash of light appeared from the desert. Immediately after a gigantic shockwave made of pure energy came from the darkness, racing and crashing into the city. It slammed into skyscrapers, shattering almost all the windows instantly. Sounds of more mayhem echoed from the city below as the alien power invaded into systems, electronics, living creatures' senses, and other victims. It was only because Reshiram was so powerful she wasn't affected dramatically.

She never found herself more solemn. This power was an abomination. It bred soulless creatures and endless destruction. Even in good hands it was set to fail. This madness must be brought to an end once and for all.

Reshiram brought her stare to the Desert Resort once again. That was where this was all happening. It was time…

* * *

The mighty dragon snapped from its temporary slumber. It lazily raised its heavy head, blinking. It sensed something… Something that had dared awakened it… After a few moments of silence, it came to the dragon.

Power! Power was awakening it! A low growl came from the monster's throat, and then it grew into a snarl as the creature sensed something else. There was a shift. Why was it shifting? It must be the power! But what is this?

The dragon rose into a clumsy crouch, extending its senses to tap into the flow of energy that had invaded its den. This power, it seemed familiar. Why? Once again a quick realization. The dragon knew this power! This was the energy that accompanied its birth! But why? Why now?

It extended its senses again, this time manipulating the energy to back-trace it to its source. It followed the energy to see a desolate plate with writhing silhouettes racing across it. Humans! Filthy humans were the cause of this! The process caused the dragon to see the energy's history, showing it a scene filled with even more humans… causing more destruction. The dragon's angry snarl evolved into a snap of its jaws, letting out a savage growl.

How dare they! How they do this! How dare they use the dragon's ancient power to cause destruction and cause it to suffer! They will pay!

The dragon rose to its feet and into a full stand, now wide awake. It snapped its frozen wings open, unleashing its own powers at the same moment. Immediately sub-zero temperatures captured the already cold air and the dragon's surroundings froze, becoming cocooned in a layer of ice. Then the Dragon of Ice opened its jaws wide, unleashing an all-out roar.

* * *

The jeep was speeding through the cold desert even faster now. Ash's teeth were grinding together savagely, almost to the point he was afraid they would crack. But all he could think about was that stupid rock.

_Uncle, what have you done? _he asked, like he believed the man would hear his thoughts and reply.

He was forced from his thoughts as suddenly Pikachu let out a loud shout of warning. Axew's quickly followed. Their trainers couldn't even ask what was wrong until suddenly they saw a light ahead of them. Immediately the very shockwave that hit Castelia sprung from the night and struck at the car.

The jeep was filled with horrified screams and yelps, even from the adults. Agent Looker slammed onto the brakes and turned the car slightly to create more traction. The shockwave cause the jeep to jolt, like something physical pushed it, but by some miracle the vehicle stayed upright. Everyone kept their eyes shut until the intense light faded, where they slowly opened them to find themselves in the empty desert once again. But something was different.

Instead of pitch-blackness in all directions, a brilliant light was shining to their left. They looked to see white rays pouring over a large ridge, like the sun's rays against the moon during a solar eclipse **(look it up)**. The rays reached toward the sky until it disappeared into the darkness above.

"What is that?" Agent Looker gasped.

"I don't know," Ash replied. "But I don't care! Come on, Pikachu, let's go!"

Without waiting another moment, the young boy squirmed over his friends and jumped out into the cracked sand. Iris and Cilan let out surprised yelps, but were too startled by his actions to interfere. Pikachu climbing on his shoulder, the trainer sprinted towards the ridge.

"Ash, wait!" Professor Juniper shouted after him, but the determined hero ignored her.

He scrambled up the rocky cliff, heaving and grunting, but thankfully got up rather quickly. When he got to the top and to his feet, he gasped at the sight before him.

He saw Team Plasma agents sprawled across the desert floor to his left, like they had been blown off their feet by a giant explosion. Even their giant helicopter had fallen over, leaning on its side with its blades broken. But what captured most of Ash's attention was the light.

It was dominating the sky like he had already seen, with a lone, dark shape in the center. The Meteonite. The young boy cringed. Pikachu gave a nervous growl and didn't seem too happy either. Ash decided to voice what was on his mind.

"Pikachu, we have to destroy the Meteonite," he murmured, straining his voice.

Pikachu growled his agreement. Ash scanned the clearing one more time, only to see a disappointing sight. To his right, three figures were standing, overlooking the area as well. It was Jessie, James, and Meowth. Like they sensed his presence, all three slowly turned to him. When Ash found himself locking gazes with Jessie, he suddenly snapped, "Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

"Pika!" the rodent replied before leaping from his spot. His skidded down the small hill, running into position. But something happened halfway down…

Suddenly Pikachu's body began to glow. A veil of energy coated him and twinkled, like the tiny little Pokemon was a star itself. Ash gasped, amazed what he was seeing. What was going on? Then suddenly came to him. Did the Meteonite's power do this to him? But no one was allowed to wonder about it much as suddenly Pikachu jumped into a Quick Attack, racing across the flat clearing. Then suddenly his speed increased tenfold, far faster than a normal Quick Attack. An outraged roar came from the other side of the clearing.

"Oh, no you don't!" the Team Plasma commander hollered, scrambling to his feet. He tossed a Pokeball. "Liepard, Hyper Beam!"

The cat materialized in swirling energy. The cat was spinning like it was chasing its tail, but quickly corrected itself to face the speeding, glowing Pikachu. An orb of energy formed between its jaws before it transformed into a beam racing towards it target. Pikachu was able to see it, allowing him to dodge it just in time. But the onslaught wasn't over yet.

"Woobat, Air Slash!" Jessie's voice rung.

Suddenly an ear-splitting screech filled the air before the furry bat appeared from the night. Its naked wings glowed before it slashed them across the air, having multiple discs of energy cut through the air. Pikachu was able to dodge these by leaping over them. The mouse's stunt had allowed it to land on a stone structure what represented a tower within the sand. And the tower led straight to the Meteonite.

His enemies could only watch in dismay as he scrambled up to the top like he had been doing it for years. At the top, Pikachu made a mighty leap for the flying stone, its paws outstretched.

**"THUNDERBOLT!" **Ash screamed at the top of his lungs.

The boy only saw the Pokemon's electric attack for a split-second before the greatest explosion he ever seen erupted. Ash screamed and covered his face. He dug his heels in from being blown away, but he lost his balance and found himself falling head over heels down the ridge into the clearing. Smoke, dust, out-of-control power, and thunder filled his senses and came from every direction. He could only cover his head and pray, waiting for the unleashed hell to die.

After what felt like eternity, the explosion slowly faded. Ash lay on his stomach for a long time, afraid the silence was all a trick. Finally he summoned enough courage to uncover his head and look up. He blinked to once again find pitch-darkness, the light gone. Nor was there the familiar shape of a small stone and the unwelcoming feeling. The Meteonite was no more.

Ash slowly shifted to his knees, trying to observe his surroundings. But a concerned shout interrupted him.

"Ash!"

He looked over his shoulder to see Iris and Cilan sliding down the ridge and sprinting towards him. They made their way to his side, where they assisted him to his feet. Ash allowed them, but once he found the limp yellow form next to the stone tower, he immediately ripped away from their grasps.

"Pikachu!" he screamed, fearing the worst.

Iris and Cilan obediently followed him, where all three surrounded the Pokemon. Ash didn't hesitate to scoop him up in his arms. He looked into his face, looking for any signs of life. He found himself stealing a relieved gasp as suddenly Pikachu stirred. The little creature muttered before opening its eyes, looking at his trainer with a tired gaze. Ash laughed, seeing his best friend was alive and okay. He hugged him closer to his chest and dug his face in his partner's fur. But it was Iris's fearful whisper that interrupted him.

"Um, Ash…"

The boy looked up to see his friends staring behind him, eyes wide. He slowly turned around, where all his organs in his body fell to his feet in dread. Team Plasma was back on their feet, but they were not alone, nor was the Team Rocket trio. The three children found themselves facing two armies. Both Team Plasma and Team Rocket. And every single person was glaring at them with hatred and death. After all, their greatest operation was just ruined by a kid.

"Oh, man…." Ash whined.

"We're dead," Cilan whimpered.

They watched, finally trembling, as the first Team Rocket agent prepared to step towards them. But he never got the chance.

Suddenly a beautiful but deadly roar came from above, filling the air. Within the same second, a storming inferno of great flame rained down from the sky. It swirled at Team Plasma's feet, forcing them to jump and stumble backwards in panic. Immediately the three confused children felt a presence above them as a void blocked out the air. They tilted their heads just in time to see the large white blob shoot through the air.

"Reshiram!" they all exclaimed in unison.

Despite her large size, the dragon was able to turn back around in a blink of an eye. She pivoted back around to face a stunned Team Rocket, giving them the same treatment. Screams filled the air as the criminals shied away from the fire that curled around their legs. It all took less than a matter of seconds, but the children found a giant wall of fire protecting them from their attackers and a Legendary flying over their heads.

Reshiram slammed into a landing, falling with all her weight. The action caused the earth to shake, knocking already unstable criminals off their feet. She turned her sharp gaze to the traumatized children.

_"Come hold on to me!" _she ordered hastily.

Immediately the group snapped out of their trance and made a mad dash for the dragon. Meanwhile, the flames were dying, having a few brave souls attempt to near. Reshiram immediately noticed and held them back with another fire attack. The attackers would jump back behind the wall, which would be rebuilt with new flames. The criminals didn't know what to make of the situation: Team Rocket only stared in shock, unknown to what was going on; Team Plasma would stare in utter disbelief, like they swore their eyes were playing tricks on them.

Finally Ash and his friends made it to Reshiram's side. Following her orders, they each wrapped her arms around her. Having the most trust, Ash simply snuggled into her chest. Iris to his left had her shoulder in a gentle hug. Cilan to his right had his arms at full length, giving the dragon a ridiculous embrace while leaning his body heavily into her fur. His face was contorted in a weird cringe. Axew and Pikachu were wedged between the dragon and their trainers.

Once everyone was settled, Reshiram gentled wrapped her wings around them in her own hug, shielding them away from the heat and flames as well as the peering eyes of their enemies. She then bent her head down behind the wings as well, her hot breath beating on Ash's back.

By now the flames were almost diminished, having determined soldiers march towards them. But they hadn't even gotten halfway to them before Reshiram suddenly began to glow. The startled criminals covered their eyes as the light began to intensify, becoming brighter than the Meteonite. Only this light was pristine white and warm. Then suddenly there was an eruption of flames, and the Legendary and her children were gone.

* * *

**A/N: And that wraps up the Meteonite arc! I actually had a lot of fun writing this and this was my favorite chapter. Ever since I heard of the episodes, I was naturally speculating what happened. And even though I changed it so it could fit in the storyline, it was fun writing out my theories. The other main reason I decided to include the Meteonite was because after a LONG time of thinking, I could not think of a good, epic way for Ash to reunite with his friends other than this. Not to mention it was a great excuse to include Team Plasma in some scenes, because they're one of my favorite teams.**


	29. Chapter 28

**A/N: For those you decided to skip, the Meteonite arc is over, go back to the end of previous chapter for a better explanation if you want. And a recap for you: After being almost overwhelmed by both Team Rocket and Team Plasma for destroying the precious Meteonite, Reshiram is able to save our heroes. Using her great powers, she teleports them away…**

* * *

Ash slowly came to his senses. After playing with his eyelids several times, he finally registered a white light. He shifted his head, where he felt himself leaning against soft and warm. He blinked again and moaned. This time his mysterious pillow shifted on its own.

_"Are you awake, my Ash?" _a gentle voice asked.

"Reshiram?" Ask whispered.

_"I am here, little one."_

It was then he realized his pillow wasn't a pillow at all. It was Reshiram! Finally his eyes adjusted for him to recognize ancient stone walls with bright sunlight shining from an unknown source. With a final groan he righted himself into a sitting position, forcing his back to leave Reshiram's silky fur. He made a quick scan, which only confirmed what he already saw.

He was in a large room with thick stone walls and a marble tiled floor. Tall, narrow windows cut into the room high up on the wall, yellow rays of sunlight pouring in. The air lingered with a minor population of dust and an ancient feeling.

"W-where am I?" Ash murmured.

_"Dragonspiral Tower," _Reshiram replied.

"Dragonspiral Tower?" Ash echoed.  
_"Yes, this place was built long ago, dedicated to the region's dragons. It was furthermore honored to the people's Guardian Dragons."_

"You and Zekrom."

Ash watched Reshiram turn her head to him and noticed the prideful glint in her eye.

_"Yes. It is because of its importance and truth it is sacred ground. Do not fear; you are safer nowhere else."_

Ash gave a light smile. "Thanks, Reshiram."

The dragon's eyes gleamed again. Ash had been placed by her side, the back of his head to lie across her shoulder. But now as he was awake, he looked around to find the room barren: no furniture, no signs of use… and no signs of his friends.

"Where is everybody?" he asked.

Reshiram immediately sensed his slight concern. _"They are here, down the hall. Your friends awoke before you and wished not to disturb your slumber."_

Ash grunted his reply before climbing to his feet. It was then he finally noticed the dark entranceway in the corner of the room, leading to another part of the tower. Reshiram following him, the two headed down the corridor (it was actually quite large enough for Reshiram to navigate through). The second Ash stepped out of the room, his nostrils immediately picked up a familiar aroma of sharp spices and carefully burning food. Cilan's cooking!

He picked up his pace to find his friends further down. They had set up their own kitchen/camp in a room slightly smaller than the one Ash awoke in. Unfortunately the entrance was only big enough for a large human, leaving Reshiram peer from outside.

Like Ash expected, Cilan was cooking with his famous mobile kitchen (thankfully they had been teleported with their supplies) with Iris playing with their Pokémon. They noticed his arrival immediately.

"Ash!" Iris exclaimed.

Her game with Pikachu and Axew paused as they all rushed up to meet him. The group exchanged greetings and asked of each other's welfare. Once they confirmed they were alive and unharmed, the invisible tension immediately lifted.

"Isn't this awesome?" Iris laughed, actually making a twirl of excitement. "We're in the Dragonspiral Tower! Did you know no one has ever seen inside in over a hundred years?"

"And everything's in excellent condition, too," Cilan added.

"I can't believe they made it so well to preserve everything so well."

Reshiram smirked at this. _"The Tower Of Dragons was carefully constructed," _she informed. _"And many spells were placed on it to protect its welfare."_

"Oh, wow, that's so cool!" Ash exclaimed, fascinated by the fun facts. His eyes fell on the steaming food by Cilan's side, and immediately his mouth watered. "There's only one thing more awesome."

* * *

The group quickly ate their fill, starting starved and ending stuffed. Cilan made extra to give to the Pokémon for a treat, some even for Reshiram. But to their amusement, the dragon finished her meal in two bites. Cilan offered to make her more, but she calmly refused, explaining she really didn't need food.

After lunch, they group decided to explore the tower. Sometimes Reshiram followed; other times she decided to respect the friends' privacy.

The children gasped with every step. This place was truly incredible. Ancient stone and marble made the entire building, but showed little signs of erosion. There were simple structures such as a basic hallway to impossible arts such as life-sized, incredible detailed and realistic statues of dragons from all over. There were also unique carvings of interesting designs littering everything. The ancient castle had so many beauties, but Ash quickly noted there was too much to describe them all.

But in what they guessed was the basement of the castle was the most breath-taking of all. The basement was drowned in water to form a giant pool, either intentionally created that way or the water from the surrounding lake had somehow breached. But what blew the children's minds that the water was absolutely beautiful: it was crystal-clear, impossible clear, and glittered on its own in the room. It looked perfectly pure, like it had been untouched by everything. It was like liquid sapphire.

The children let out awed gasps and stared with wide, gleaming eyes.

"So pretty," Iris whispered. "I've never seen anything like this."

"Oh, yes," Cilan agreed, "this lake is like a secret recipe, waiting to introduce its new ingredients to the world."

It was Ash who quickly got an idea and laughed. "Well, what are we waiting for? Come on, guys!"

He shot them a playful look, where they immediately understood. They quickly shed into their bathing suits and leaped into the luxurious water. As they expected, it was cool, but just the right temperature. It felt refreshing and smooth, but not too cold where eventually they would be endangered.

They released their all Pokémon, who either joined or went to their own business. Cilan made sure to leave a large bowl of Pokémon food for them. The group laughed the entire time in the water, soaking it in and allowing it to drain away all the stress from the past few weeks. Ash was having so much he almost failed to notice the sudden soft splashing sound and the large ripple rolling across the water. He turned to see, in his surprise, Reshiram wading into the water from a nearby ramp.

Ash gasped and gave her an amazed look, but the dragon only replied with a playful look before slipping into the water altogether. The moment her head disappeared, Ash ducked underneath to follow her. The pool was actually quite large and deep, even unable to see the bottom in some parts. And some parts of the pool were crowded ruins: either collapsed walls or great pillars effected by the water. But Ash tore his gaze from these sights to watch Reshiram in awe.

The great dragon was like a serpent within the water. She wiggled her body and weaved through the pillars like a snake in the grass. She would then start wiggling up and down like some hyper worm. And sometimes she would even flap her wings underwater, creating a powerful torrent but it proved effective. Her movements sounded awkward, but she used them with unspeakable grace and fluidness. Ash wanted to watch her longer, but found he was running out of air, forcing him to thrust upward into surface with the others where they continued their games.

A few minutes later Ash was lazily drifting upright in the water, slowing kicking his legs and stroking the water with his arms. His doze was interrupted when he felt a presence underneath him. Suddenly something soft but firm appeared under his feet, pressing against his soles. He then found himself being ripped out of the water and flying through the air. He gave a startled wail, but it was cut short as he slammed back into the water.

A thick film covered his eyes, showing him his face was underwater. He righted himself, but stayed beneath the surface. He saw through a wall of bubbles Reshiram staring at him, also submerged, with an amused expression. Ash knew what had happened. She had actually thrown him out of the water!

They met each other in fresh air, poking their heads out of their previous realm. At first Ash wondered if he should scold her, but quickly changed his mind but ending up laughing, "Oh, wow, that was fun! Again, Reshiram!"

With a smile, Reshiram ducked back into the water, melting away like a Vaporeon. This time Ash was prepared as she pressed her snout against the bottoms of his feet. He dug then in, bracing himself, but was careful not to accidently poke her in the eye. This wasn't a problem as Reshiram threw her head, driving the small boy into the air. He let out a whoop and tucked himself in a ball before making a backflip into the water.

Iris and Cilan witnessed the duo's game, and immediately were interested. It was then the children included the Legendary in their fun, having her play with them and practice continuous tricks with each other.

It was well beyond the point of their bodies become prunes that they finally crawled out of their playground. They then decided to explore the tower even more.

There were more ruins in this section of the grand building, but that only fascinated them more. Great marble pillars, grander than the ones they've seen before, littered large rooms. They found several more pools of water were it had invaded. They even saw signs of Pokémon.

During their exploration they found strange glyphs in an unknown script. Iris explained it was Unova's ancient language and that she knew some, allowing her to translate. Even though it were the simplest of translations, Iris was able to decode tales of ancient Unova, highly intriguing her listeners.

Their adventures felt like only a small matter of hours, yet by the time they finally caught up with time, it was well into the afternoon and almost evening. They decided to go back to their original campsite upstairs and begin dinner.

While Cilan was slowly cooking his special recipes and Ash was dozing alongside the Pokémon, Iris decided to try one more venture.

She wandered away to a nearby balcony. Or she actually had no idea what to call it. It was a giant open area with no walls or ceiling, just a cold stone floor. She wondered if it was once a ballroom or such and its shell was somehow destroyed or it was intentionally created for a certain purpose. She went ahead and crossed it, her curiosity getting the best of her. She traveled to the very edge, which was the edge of the tower and dropped to the ground far below. Before her was the vast sight of the land, but she was not expecting what she saw.

Cilan and Ash heard her wail all the way from inside. Immediately they abandoned their duties, Cilan turning off the stoves to prevent a fire. They sprinted toward the source to find the open room and a frozen Iris standing on its edge.

"Iris!" Ash called, trying to gain her attention.

When she didn't reply, the boys made their way over to her. They saw the source of her distress, and immediately let out their own gasps.

Before them was the entire land stretching for miles, covered in forests, hills, and even a couple lakes. But something was wrong. Instead of the familiar green or even the shades of early autumn, all they saw was white. Ice.

The entire landscape was covered in a thick blanket of snow, smothering every inch. There was not even one spec of green or the fur of a Pokémon. The children stared in shock for a long time, until finally they found their voices.

"I-is it supposed to be like this?" Ash asked in a cracked voice.

"We're in northern Unova," Cilan explained slowly, "so this happens. B-but only in deep winter. It just turned autumn." He looked back to the misplaced scene, thinking about his knowledge of the weather. "The first snowfall isn't supposed to be for weeks."

"Then what did this?" Iris demanded.

_"Kyurem."_

All three trainers whirled around to see Reshiram standing over them. Ash was about to ask for an explanation, but his companions beat him to it.

"WHAT?" they exclaimed in unison. They barged past Ash to get closer to Reshiram, almost shoving him off. It was then he realized he was once again out of the loop. He _hated _being out of the loop.

Reshiram instructed them to follow her, where they settled in the center of the open area, away from the edges where someone could fall off. Meanwhile, Iris and Cilan were on the verge of having heart attacks with Ash hopelessly lost.

"I was told Kyurem was just a myth!" Cilan protested.

"I'm from the Village of Dragons and I was told it was a myth!" Iris shot back.

"WHO THE HELL IS KYUREM!" Ash wailed, having enough. Finally everyone turned to him and decided to humor the poor boy.

"Kyurem is an ancient creature in Unova," Cilan explained. "But not many people know about it, and those who do dismiss it as a myth. Just a fairy tale to make little kids behave."

_"He is very much real," _Reshiram insisted, her voice eerily calm and slow. _"And very much dangerous."_

It was then the dragon told her listeners everything she knew. She recited the tale that she was told by the farmer and other accounts she had overheard. It was one account that caught their attention. That Kyurem had been born from a meteorite.

"Wait a second," Iris halted. "That wouldn't have been…"

"That was the Meteonite!" Cilan exclaimed, realizing it first.

Reshiram nodded. _"Yes, the very stone that Kyurem was breed from was the very stone that was fought over since ancient times."_

The group became silent then, shocked to the very core and even more determined to listen to her tales. She told them of her adventures: where she saved a small herd of Deerling from a vicious swarm of Cryogonal, where she saved a young boy from being drowned by a block of ice, and her journey to the Giant Chasm, the said birthplace of ice and disaster. Then they listened to next account.

_"I was able to discover a den hidden within the Chasm," _she explained. _"It was there I was confronted by Kyurem."_

Her audience gasped.

"You met Kyurem?" Iris cried.

_"I had sensed his presence, but I was unaware he was expecting me. We battled, but my truth was not strong enough. I was able to escape before he unleashed his final wrath. It was then I realized I would need my hero, where I set out to find Ash."_

"Where you found all of us in Nimbasa City," Cilan commented.

Reshiram nodded. _"But now I'm afraid the worst has happened. When the Meteonite lost control, it must have disturbed Kyurem and brought his powers to their peak. He would not be able to freeze the land like this otherwise. And his rage is untamed as well. It is only matter of time before he unleashes his wrath on all of us."_

The group stared in shock, chilled to core. A monster was released with out-of-control powers and rage. But then Cilan noticed something from the story of Kyurem and Reshiram's experience.

"Wait," he said, bringing everyone out of their thoughts. "Did you say Kyurem was already awake when you fought him?"

Reshiram slowly blinked, but nodded.

"But the legend states he was supposed to be asleep, unless—"

Everyone quickly caught on what he was saying.

"Unless someone woke Kyurem _before _Reshiram!" Iris finished.

"That's probably why Kyurem was so angry!" Ash added.

"But who would do such a thing?" Iris looked up at Reshiram. "Reshiram, did Kyurem happen to mention anything during your battle."

Reshiram tilted her head in thought. After what felt like eternity, she said, _"There was something. He said 'You intruders bring me suffering. You will all pay…' Like there someone else was there or had come before me."_

"Weird…" Ash commented.

It was then Cilan suddenly popped up into a stand. He had a solemn expression, but it was quickly replaced by amusement.

"You know what that means!" he exclaimed. Iris realized what he was doing, and Ash was quickly catching up.

"Oh, no," Iris muttered. "Please don't."

"IT'S INVESTIGATING TIME!"

It was then he grabbed a garb from his sack and threw it on in a flash. He now wore a thick detective's coat like Looker's with an old-fashioned hat and pipe. Iris facepalmed and Ash shrunk into a ball, about to die of embarrassment. Reshiram only stared in curiosity and slight confusion. Cilan made a humming sound not belonging to his age and paced, furrowing his eyebrow in thought and cradling his head with his fingers.

"So after centuries of slumber, an outraged dragon awakes without warning," he said in an overly-narrative voice.

"Thank you, Sherlock," Iris commented, but of course Cilan didn't hear her.

"It brutally attacks Reshiram, who didn't even know it was awake. The only explanation is the possibility that someone got to Kyurem first. If so, who? What was their intention? And if that didn't happen, what did awake Kyurem? There is only one place that holds all these answers." He twirled to face his half-hearted audience. With a look of victory, he pointed his pipe at them. "In order to uncover the Mystery of Kyurem—"

"We need to go to Lacunosa Town and try to find something there," Iris interrupted, her voice flat with boredom.

Cilan twitched with his pipe loosening in hand, seeing his favorite part of the unneeded speech was taken from him. He quickly pulled himself together by straightening and clearing his throat, bringing a fist to his mouth.

"Um, yes."

It was then Ash turned to the frozen land, locking his gaze on the distant horizon.

"Then it's settled," he announced. "Next stop: Lacunosa Town."

* * *

**A/N: And I finally reveal Kyurem! Sorry it took so long even though I tried to make it so obvious. And by the way, I just want to laugh about something. Ever since I first heard about Kyurem, I could have sworn it was pronounced "Kai-oo-rem," when it's actually pronounced "Keer-rem" (or something like that). XD Ah, you gotta love Pokémon names.**


	30. Chapter 29

**A/N: I forgot add this in the previous chapter. For those who didn't understand the whole Kyurem/Meteonite business, what I was aiming for was that the Meteonite ****_was _****Kyurem.**

* * *

The group decided to sleep at the tower that night, since the scarlet sky had grown into evening and believed they needed the rest. But by the time the day's first rays of light breached the tower's open windows, they were wide awake and fidgeting in place. They couldn't help but notice that the air seemed colder.

They packed the rest of their supplies and began to discuss the best way of travel. Though they never expected what Reshiram offered.

_"I can take you all," _she informed. _"I'll fly us there."_

"All three of us?" Iris gasped. "Even our supplies?"

Reshiram nodded. _"Of course."_

It was decided then. The group tied their supplies to Reshiam's side like makeshift saddlebags, but were careful not cause her discomfort. She never complained.

Once everything was ready, they each piled onto her back. Ash was if front; settled between her shoulders and neck. Iris was behind him on the dragon's shoulders. Cilan was last; wedged between her shoulders and her mighty wings. Axew had returned to his nest in Iris's hair and Pikachu was actually snuggled in Ash's backpack.

With everyone settled, Reshiram careful walked over to the platform from the evening before. It was then they suspected it was actually most likely a launch pad. And with a whisper of warning, Reshiram tore into the air with a great flap of her wings.

* * *

Strong winds tore at Ash's clothes and slapped his face. He had taken off his hat long ago to prevent it from flying off. Sometimes he would shiver from a cold blast, but usually Reshiram provided warmth and protection from the endangering conditions. Their trip had actually showed Ash how the dragon flew so well despite her large size. He was surprised it was science more than anything.

Reshiram had slight control over the atmosphere by releasing heat into the air. Since heat rises and cold sinks, she is able to manipulate its motions. When she flies, she also uses magic and her anatomy, but she releases small amounts of warmth, creating a cushion keeping her aloft. She could fly without flapping at all, but she uses her wings to aid in the action and that it simply feels more natural.

Despite the seemingly uncomfortable conditions, the children quickly adjusted, barely noticing the unpredictable patterns. Iris and Cilan had actually fallen asleep. Ash understood; even though they insisted staying in the tower, everyone had a restless sleep. And besides, Ash wouldn't be surprised if they had horrible sleep for weeks while they looked endlessly for him.

In their slumber, Iris had fallen into Cilan with the older teenager's head falling on her shoulder. They snoozed loudly, almost on the verge of snoring. Ash chuckled at their awkward sleep.

Though he continued to stare ahead at nothing, a stern expression on his face and locked in his thoughts. Reshiram noticed, having her glance at him.

_"What bothers you, little one?" _she asked.

Ash heaved a loud sigh. "Everything. There's a man-eating monster out there wanting to kill us, I find out everything in my life is a lie, my long-lost uncle is a crime lord—" He buried his face in his hands before he could continue. After a long moment of silence, he ended up whimpering, "I don't know what to do, Reshiram."

The dragon turned her gaze back to the air before them, but their conversation was far from over. _"What does your truth tell you?" _she asked.

Ash fought not to scold her that was the worst advice ever. "I don't know what my 'truth' says! I don't know what's the truth anymore!" He let his head hang before adding, "I just don't know why Mom didn't tell me all of this before…"

Another moment of silence.

_"Do you hate her?"_

"N-no. No, of course not! I love her; she's all I have and she's amazing, I don't care where she comes from. I just wished she could've told me…"

_"Would it have made a difference?"_

Ash looked down to stare at Reshiram's fur. "I don't know…" He let himself think about it for a few moments, making him change his mind. "N-no, I guess it wouldn't. I still hate Giovanni. I hate what he does and I hate that I'm related to him."

The dragon quickly sensed his growing rage and decided to address it. _"Ash, what I say is the truth. I hate the human as much as you do. But, I am required to see as much good in him as I do evil. If I can't, only then are they darkness and truly evil."_

"I guess this isn't the case with Giovanni?"

_"No. He is only blackness: he causes damage and ignores the morals he has. But he has them. He proved this when he endangered his life to save you."_

Ash realized she was talking about when Giovanni saved him from the Dream Thief. Instead of being touched, Ash only grumbled, "He only did that to use me. And besides, it's _his _fault I got kidnapped in the first place."

_"Yes. The reason Team Plasma wanted you captured was to use you against Giovanni." _There was silence for a moment as the words sunk in. Then Reshiram glanced at Ash again by looking over her shoulder. _"But he decided to thwart their plot by himself. He found you alone, saved you alone, protected you alone… all the while never thinking of his own welfare. Can you still punish him for that?"_

Ash sighed and rolled his head back, slouching. Unable to think about it much longer, he went back a step. "What about my mother?"  
_"Simple. She was wishing to protect you."_

"By setting me up to be an Italian mobster?"

The Legendary gave an amused snort. _"A mother could not tell you the instinct that drives her. Every intention has wisdom behind it, whether she is aware of it or not. Wisdom and overwhelming trust for her child. She most likely sacrificed much to shield you for this long. And when the moment of truth arrived, she trusted you to find your own path of truth and had wisdom behind her motives. Now it is your turn to trust."_

Ash thought for a long time. "Truth…"

They were silent for a while, the roar of the wind and the flapping of wings the only sounds. Eventually Ash found himself dozing to the rhythmic motions, his eyes even beginning to droop.

_"Go to sleep, little one," _Reshiram murmured. _"I will not allow you to fall."_

Ash wanted to protest, but he already found his body slowly sinking and falling onto Reshiram's neck. Her fur was so soft…

Just before he fell asleep, though, he couldn't help but feel the slight pang of fear. What about Giovanni? Ash had a feeling the man wouldn't let him go so easily. And Team Rocket had the annoying habit of finding them and appearing at the most inconvenient of times. But he found himself pushing it away. It didn't matter how many sources Giovanni had, there was no way for them to track them with how they were traveling all over the place. There was no way Team Rocket could find them.

With that in mind, he fell asleep, almost peaceful.

* * *

"WHERE IS MY NEPHEW?" Giovanni roared.

"W-we don't know, sir," the poor agent assigned to talk to him whimpered. "We looked all over the place and followed every lead we could find… it's like they just disappeared off the face of the earth."

"OUT!"

With mutter of apology and a hasty bow, the agent scrambled out of the room. Giovanni's heated glare followed him until the door closed. When his target was gone, Giovanni looked away with a snort. The sorry agents in the room who were forced to stay with him tried hard not to make eye contact with him or accidently provoke him even more. The agents' identities were no surprise: it was Peirce, Jessie, James, and Meowth. On the other side of the room sitting in one of the chairs was another famous agent: Agent 009, or more commonly known as Domino.

She had just returned from her undercover assignment of receiving intel of the more distant parts of Unova, such as isolated cities like Lacunosa Town **(remember, anyone?)**. Unfortunately she had checked in when things weren't going very well. But she didn't seem bothered as she filed her nails with her legs crossed, oblivious to her surroundings.

Giovanni was oblivious as well as he was caught up in his own thoughts. He trusted Ash was not far behind, hopefully being protected by his own escort. But by the time the organization's leader regained control, he had learned his nephew was long gone. His mood seemed to worsen when he heard the Meteonite had been destroyed and the greatest mission in Team Rocket history couldn't have been more of a failure. And there was something else that annoyed him even further.

Reports of some "monster" appearing in the desert. That it was the one who ruined their plans and took away Ash. Also that it owned unspeakable power and wasn't afraid to show it. A Legendary? Nonsense! A Legendary wouldn't waste its time with children!

Giovanni let it go, deciding there were more pressing matters. Such as him finding his heir.

"Where is my nephew?" he repeated in a barely audible whisper.

Like the Legendaries themselves heard him, his answer was given to him. That moment Dr. Zager walked in, showing no emotion as usual. That's the only thing Giovanni disliked about him; he didn't like it when he couldn't read someone. The old man seemed oblivious to the tension in the room as he neared the desk.

"What is it?" Giovanni finally snapped.

"I think I found something that might interest you, Mr. Giovanni," the scientist reported.

"Which is?"

He pulled out a tablet from his coat and began to meddle with it. "Our satellites have picked up a strange energy reading in northern Unova. If it's correct, the energy pattern to moving eastward."

"So?"

Catching on Giovanni's slight noninterest, Dr. Zager tapped his device before turning it around to show his boss. All Giovanni saw was some makeshift diagram speaking gibberish. He suppressed a growl and told himself it was not the first time a scientist had good intentions but made a poor job at making any sense. He listened as Dr. Zager went on.

"We looked into this energy pattern and traced it to the last place it appeared before showing in northern Unova."

Giovanni gave him a look to go on.

"It was the Desert Resort, sir."

Finally Giovanni raised his eyebrows and showed signs of interest.

"So it was a Legendary…" he murmured. He looked down with a stern expression of thought. Finally he looked up and ordered, "Use our satellites to get a visual on it immediately."

Dr. Zager nodded obediently before bowing and slowly exiting the room. The trembling agents allowed themselves to breathe a little more, since the thick tension had finally lifted slightly. Giovanni tapped his desk as he thought about the information he was given.

"What is this Legendary, anyway?" he wondered out loud.

"I think I may know something."

Everyone looked over to Domino, who had spoken for the first time since joining the meeting. She was still filing her nails, but they could tell from her expression she knew what she was doing.

"And what may this be?" Giovanni asked, narrowing his eyes.

Domino smiled. She knew something the Boss didn't. That was very rare for a Team Rocket agent. And even though most of her missions ended up that way, she couldn't help but take a moment to absorb the unique feeling. But sensing Giovanni's impatience, she brushed it away. She got to her feet and walked over to Giovanni's desk, gleaming with a look of victory.

"Ever heard of the Kingdom of the Vale?"


	31. Chapter 30

They landed on the far outskirts of Lacunosa Town by evening. If it was another day, the sky would be alit with bright colors and shades, but today it was dark gray with a heavy cloud cover. A light layer of snow covered the ground and the air was cool.

"I can't believe Kyurem would do this," Iris whimpered, hugging herself for warmth.

"You can almost taste the depression in the air," Cilan commented.

The ground shook slightly as Reshiram took a step toward the nearby forest. She looked at the group over her shoulder.

_"Nothing can be done now," _she informed. _"The day is already dying. We should take this chance to rest and then we'll see what can be done tomorrow."_

She took another step, having her body turn to show hidden under the trees was a gaping black mouth of a cave. Ash looked back and forth between it and the faint lights on the horizon. This was as close Reshiram could go without being noticed, and she even admitted it was closer than she preferred.

Ash wondered should they travel on ground the rest of the way to stay at the town's Pokémon Center. But it would be nightfall by the time they reached the town's walls. And if Reshiram's description was correct, they wouldn't appreciate the newcomers at such a late hour. So apparently creepy cave in the middle of nowhere wins.

But they got settled anyway, placing their supplies inside and setting up their cooking just outside the entrance. It was no surprise to find the inside of the cave was dark, but it was large enough for all of them (even Reshiram). They placed a few lanterns around the campsite to help with the darkness, where it proved effective.

They ate dinner in silence. Afterwards, they packed up their unnecessary supplies and got ready for bed; despite it wasn't that late in the night. They first attempted to sleep in their own spots, but when the cold increased and began invading their shelter, they found themselves inching towards Reshiram for warmth.

It was a long and quiet night.

* * *

The next day, several strangers stepped through the gates of Lacunosa Town. They observed with a chill that it looked like an absolute ghost town.

There was not even one soul or sign of life on the iced streets. Lights of surrounding buildings were shut off with shutters closed tight. As Ash and his friends slowly walked through the quiet realm, they were accompanied by the eerie feeling of someone watching them. To their dismay, it was proved correct as in the corner of their eyes, they noticed leers through windows' cracks.

"They weren't this cold when I was here the last time," Reshiram commented darkly.

"I don't think anything was cold before," Ash grumbled.

The duo walked side-by-side, Reshiram back in human form. When the children woke up from their uneasy slumber, they found the dragon gone, replaced by a beautiful woman waiting for them in the cave's entrance. Once they got ready to go, they began their trek to the town.

They found their destination, only wishing to turn around.

The cloud cover had broken up during the night, having large clumps of darkened cotton balls crawl across the sky, merging together to create large cracks of sunlight. On the ground below, the unpredictable dance of light created strange pools of shadows, making the air even more eerie.

But the group had to brush it away, seeing there was a job to be done.

"So what's the plan?" Iris asked.

They were in a small plaza near the heart of the town, pausing from their walk to have a meeting for a plan.

"I suggest we split up," Cilan spoke up. "We'll cover more ground and possibly find more clues."

"I guess we can't deal with Kyurem, yet, can we?" Ash chuckled nervously. Iris shot him a scolding glare.

"Ash! We all agreed there's more to this than we think. We have to know _everything_ before we go after Kyurem."

Reshiram nodded. "I agree. And Cilan speaks the truth. If it means ending this madness quicker, than I'm willing to try anything."

But Reshiram's agreement only seemed to dismay Iris. "But is it a really good idea to separate? Shouldn't we stick together?"

"Don't worry," Ash reassured her. "It won't be for too long. How bout we meet back here in three hours?"

The group nodded in agreement. And with that, they separated: each taking an opposite direction alone.

* * *

"I think finding clues is easier said than done," Ash sighed.

"Pikachu," his partner agreed solemnly.

Ash felt like he looked up and down every visible inch in his part of the town, but after a long time, he realized there wouldn't be a sign saying, "CLUE TO THE MYSTERY OF KYUREM, RIGHT HERE!"

He then tried something different by attempting to speak with a few of the townspeople. He was lucky enough to find a few who had accidently exposed themselves, but when he merely looked at them, they replied with icy glare before fleeing. He even tried knocking on a couple doors, but he either would get no reply or someone cracking the door and hissing, "We wan' no trouble, boy."

So now he was aimlessly walking though the maze-like streets. After looking at his watch, he noted it was getting close to their time limit. He shot a glance at Pikachu who was perked on his shoulder.

"Time to head back to the others, huh, buddy?" he commented.

"Pika."

And with that, the boy whirled around to go the way he came, but something made him pause. He could have sworn he saw a flicker of movement in the corner of his eyes with a strange scraping sound. He turned again to the source, only to see an empty street.

"Hello?" he called. "Anyone there?"

He stared down the way for a few moments before it happen again. He whirled around, this time more jumpy. Snarling, he looked back and forth, trying to observing his surroundings all at once.

"Who's there?" he demanded.

"PIKA!"

Ash whirled around only to see a flash of savage claws. He wailed as something large struck his chest, sending him flying. Pikachu let out a cry at it was torn from his shoulder. Ash skidded into a wall, banging his head. He groaned at the fogginess in his head and blinked rapidly to cure his blurry vision. All he could distinguish was a large silhouette before him. At long last, he vision recovered, only for him to take a sharp breath.

In the place where he once stood was a large Pokémon. It had snow-white fur covering its body, save for the icicles under its chin that formed a strange beard. It was bulky with four long legs that it now stood on, each ending with three knife-like claws. The creature glared at him with pitch-black eyes and its lips curled in a savage snarl, all of its razor-sharp teeth showing. Beartic.

"W-wha?" Ash murmured.

Beartic only snapped its jaws before diving towards him, claws open and glowing in a Slash attack. Ash immediately saw, making him jump and squeeze into the wall, but there was nowhere to go.

"AH!" he cried.

"Piikaa!"

Suddenly a yellow blob shot from the corner of Ash's vision, slamming into Beartic's head with a powerful Iron Tail.

"Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed, gawking at his savior.

Beartic fell over with Pikachu following, landing on the cobblestone next to it. But before Pikachu could give Ash a reassuring glance, the Beartic's eyes snapped open. With a battle cry, it leaped to its feet and swatted Pikachu away with its powerful paw. The Mouse Pokémon cried and flew out of Ash's vision.

"No!"

He gave the Beartic a look of disbelief, only to notice something. He noticed the vertical long, pale scar across the creature's left eye and that it was slightly larger than the previous Beartic he'd seen. This was no ordinary Beartic.

Ash leaped to his feet, getting ready to charge where Pikachu disappeared. At the same time, he extended his thoughts as much as he could.

_"RESHIRAM!"_

Her reply was almost immediate. _"Ash?"_

But before he could "talk" to her further, a giant blue paw swallowed his vision, and his world went black.

* * *

Iris and Cilan sprinted as fast as they could. They panted heavily and their limbs were on the verge of falling off, but they dared not slow down. Not after when Reshiram called them. Something terrible happened.

Finally they reached the other side of town, finding a lone woman. Reshiram.

They immediately noticed the sad Pikachu by her heels and the red hat she held in a death grip. When she turned to their approach, they immediately noticed her solemn expression. They skidded to a halt inches away from her.

"W-what happened?" Iris demanded, voice high with panic.

"They took him," Reshiram growled. "Kyurem took my hero."


	32. Chapter 31

Ash was beyond freezing. He wished there was a word for it. But then that really wouldn't help.

He was tucked in a tight ball, hugging his knees to his chest tightly. He even pulled his hood over his head and had it almost cover his face. And no matter what he did, he couldn't stop shivering.

He was in a dark cave surrounded by dark walls. It didn't take him long to realize this was actually the very same place he dreamt of all that time ago.

_Then that monster that attacked me… It was Kyurem._

He actually hadn't seen the dragon in person yet. He had awoken on the back of a Beartic only to be violently thrown into his current prison.

It was a small cave within the catacombs, a mere crevice to the gigantic caverns. It sunk in a little in a small basin, as one needed to take a step to go on the "corridor" outside. Guarding Ash's cell was a group of Cryogonal. They looked lifeless and glared at nothing, never acknowledging his presence.

It was only when he attempted to step out when they suddenly turned on him. It took forever for his legs to thaw out from their Ice Beams.

He was scared. He had no idea why he was here, or what his captors wanted to do with him. He honestly preferred Team Plasma or Team Rocket. Desperate for answers, he called out to Kyurem.

"Kyurem!" he roared. "Talk to me! What do you want?" When there was no reply, Ash only continued by screaming as much as his lungs could allow: "KYUREM!"

If he didn't know better, he would think the dragon didn't exist. But he knew it was there; hiding deep in the very heart of its territory. Its existence was proven by the presence that would visit him time from time. It sometimes came while he was awake, but usually invaded his mind when he was asleep. It would come from the empty void to slowly worm its way into his dreams. So Kyurem was a psychic, too.

But the powerful "Legendary" refused to talk to him.

Ash huddled in his prison, never feeling so alone in his life. He bit his lip to stop from crying.

* * *

"Why would Kyurem kidnap Ash?" Iris demanded. "To spite you?"

Reshiram shook her head. "Even Kyurem knows the consequences if he tried."

"Then I don't understand!"

"I don't understand, either."

They were still in Lacunosa Town, standing solemnly in the streets, still wondering what to do. Pikachu sulked by their side, depressed that once again he couldn't protect his trainer. Axew was doing everything he could to cheer his friend up, but his attempts were futile. While Reshiram and Iris stared at nothing, Cilan focused on the belt of Pokeballs in his hand. They were Ash's. They must have fallen during the battle.

They had no idea had much time had passed, either minutes or hours. But they didn't care.

Then suddenly Reshiram perked her head up with her eyes wide, like she was startled by a noise. Her acquaintances immediately noticed.

"W-what is it?" Cilan asked nervously.

Reshiram quickly looked around before whirling around, eyes narrowed. The children watched her, their anxiety rising, as her human lips curled into a snarl. She glared at something unseen to all but her. Iris and Cilan were about to demand for an answer, but she beat them to it.

"Run," she hissed through gritted teeth. "_Now_."

Her companions didn't hesitate to follow her orders. A word of a Legendary rules over all. The group spun around as one and sprinted through the streets at full speed. They vowed not to even _think _of slowing down.

Though Iris and Cilan were still confused and startled. They were about to ask what was going on, but it wasn't necessary. In the corners of their vision, they saw flicker of movement keeping pace with them.

At first they believed it may be Ash's kidnappers, but noticed there were no familiar signs of Pokémon. Instead the figures they glimpsed were pitch-black and like shadows. Like they were made of darkness themselves. Like they were _wearing _black.

The children's hearts almost stopped. N-no way!

They ran onto a wide, empty street. They began to flee down it, but they never made it. Suddenly up to a dozen black figures leaped out into their path, creating an intimidating roadblock. They were immediately identified. Team Rocket.

With a yelp, the group skidded to a halt. They turned on their heels to back the way they came, only to see the same number of Rockets do the same thing. In a matter of seconds they found themselves wedged between two Rocket armies and the walls of buildings in between. They were trapped.

They frantically looked back and forth, trying to observe all their enemies at once. Suddenly the first group parted as a tall, even more intimidating figure barged through. Giovanni.

Reshiram snarled viciously and looked like she was going to rip his throat out. Instead, she ordered the children through telepathy, _"Cover your eyes!"_

The children once again obeyed, digging their faces in their hands. Meanwhile, the Team Rocket army tried to near, but halted when Reshiram began to glow. Immediately the light intensified, forcing everyone to cover their eyes to prevent going blind. Some dared to blink, only to go back to squeezing them shut.

Through the brightness, they heard a human roar to turn into one of a dragon's. Like some weird evolution, she arms grew in wings. Her torso became larger and her neck longer, ending in a snout. Her legs widened and grew a set of large deadly claws. A turbine-shaped tail grew from her back. With a final roar, the light faded, and the Legendary Dragon was revealed.

Eager to fight, the Rockets quickly uncovered their eyes only to freeze. They were not expecting this. The children and their Pokémon were much slower to uncover their vision, but Reshiram's snap brought them out of it.

_"Get on!" _she ordered.

The children let their arms go limp as they scurried to her side. Being greatly agile, Iris was able to get on with just a single leap. Cilan was far clumsier as he scrambled hastily on her back. Most of Team Rocket stayed in place, and those who dared to near were greeted with the Legendary's snarls and teeth.

The moment her passengers were on, not even fully settled, she braced herself to launch into the air. But when the dragon looked up into the sky, she was immediately filled with dread.

Hovering over them with loud roars were three pitch-black helicopters. They appeared like phantoms and eagerly waited to snap at their prey. Reshiram snarled.

If she was alone, she could easily get out of this. Either by destroying the helicopters in seconds or crushing the human army before her. But she couldn't. Not without her companions being hurt or even killed. They were trapped. _She _had been trapped.

The all-powerful Legendary lowered her head.

Giovanni grinned.

* * *

**A/N: Ash's persective is in no specific timeframe. I added it to show you guys his experience while Reshiram & co. are having their own adventures.**

**Great, now everyone's captured. What does Kyurem want with Ash? What will Giovanni do with Reshiram? Stay tuned to find out!**


	33. Chapter 32

"Where is my nephew?" Giovanni questioned in a menacing voice.

"I'd rather leave this world than tell you," Reshiram retorted.

"Don't tempt me, _dragon_, because I can very much make that happen."

Reshiram smirked. "I'll like to see you try."

"Then I'll just take over your precious region."

"That won't even happen in your dreams."

The "adults" went silent then and fell into a staring contest, glaring into each other's eyes while thinking of another round of insults. Surrounding them were Team Rocket agents, either watching the argument leisurely or nervously. Wedged between them were Iris and Cilan, their Pokémon taken away from them, including Axew and Pikachu. So far nothing had happened to them.

They were in a large camp set up by Team Rocket on the outskirts of Lacunosa Town. After surrendering, Reshiram converted back to her human form, where the prisoners were taken to the camp to be "interrogated." Now the arch-enemies argued with Team Rocket and the children watching.

"Um, should we stop them?" Cilan asked nervously.

Iris waved a hand at the quarrelling duo. "Hey, if you want to get yourself killed, be my guest."

Cilan swallowed, but was determined. Thankfully no one stopped him as he neared the two figures.

"Um, excuse me?" he said softly.

He immediately found himself on the receiving end of the world's most intense glares. Cilan twitched with a nervous cringe, even gulping. After an awkward moment, he pulled himself together and said, "L-look, Ash is in trouble. Standing here and fighting each other isn't going to help him."

If Giovanni was surprised by Cilan's words, he didn't show it, but he did seem to grow more annoyed. He interrupted Cilan by demanding, "What sort of trouble?"

"He's been taken away by a powerful dragon," Reshiram reluctantly informed. She was hoping she could exclude Team Rocket in their affairs, but it looked like she had no choice. When Giovanni turned back to her, she went on. "The same dragon that caused all of this." She motioned to the ice surrounding them. "I do not know for sure why he has done this, but I do not care. Ash's welfare is in danger."

"And _all _of us want him back," Cilan added, grateful Reshiram had agreed to follow his lead. But before he could go on, Giovanni once again cut him off.

"So what, you suggest an alliance?" he scoffed.

"We have no choice," Reshiram insisted. She refused to be unfazed when the crime lord glared at her. "If you really care for your 'kin.'"

Giovanni was silent for a few moments, making the air deadly quiet. Finally Giovanni sighed and grumbled, "Very well. Do you at least have a plan?"

Cilan and Iris on the sidelines flinched. They really hadn't gotten that far… Thankfully and unexpectingly, Reshiram once again came to their rescue. She was silent for a few moments before looking up and confessing, "I have an idea, though it's risky. But we can only do it with your help."

Giovanni narrowed his eyes. "And it is?"

* * *

Giovanni thrust the flap of the tent out of his way with a single arm.

"Are you sure this plan of yours will work?" he demanded.

Reshiram trailed behind him, had been given permission to roam. She suppressed a snarl when the tent's thick flap fell back in her face, forcing her to toss aside like Giovanni. She had a feeling the human did that on purpose. If he wasn't her only chance to regain her hero she would've hurt him for that. The leader rounded the dark wooden desk in the center of the floor. Papers and maps of the area were scattered on its surface. Giovanni decided to lean on the desk by placing his palms near the edge, staring intently at the Legendary.

He was analyzing her, like he was figuring out if what he saw was truth or not. But one thing he was sure of was his opinion of her. Reshiram knew very well he owned absolutely no respect for her. It did not matter if she stood before him as a human or vowed to bring back what he thought was his. He saw her merely as an animal, an experiment, a tool. She was nothing to him.

He will pay for that. Eventually…

"I have warned there were risks," Reshiram replied coldly. "It will be the truth of those risks that will decide the outcome."

Giovanni narrowed his eyes. "I'm tired of your riddles."

"That wasn't a riddle."

Instead of yelling, the annoyed man only heaved a large sigh. "Whatever, all I care about is getting Ashton."

"Ash," Reshiram corrected. Giovanni gave her annoyed glare, but she ignored it and went on to with what was on her mind. "And why should I let you take him if I don't even know that you care for him?"

Giovanni's glare of annoyance quickly evolved into one of death. "Excuse me?"

Reshiram only narrowed her eyes. "You may have saved Ash, but that doesn't prove your care for him."

"What about the fact I stayed with him? That I was there for him when you weren't? That I wasted my time and put my organization in jeopardy for him?" His fingers slowly curled into fists. His voice became a dangerous hiss. "Once upon a time, my sister and I were inseparable. There was nothing we kept from each other. Now, I'm lucky to hear a word from her. I haven't truly held Ash, my own blood, since he was small child. And now I may never will again." He shot a glare of hatred into the Legendary's eyes. "Does _that _answer your question?"

There was an intense moment of silence. Reshiram lifted her chin, appearing unfazed. Her words had no emotion. "That's all I wanted to know."

There was an even longer silence. Finally Giovanni lowered his gaze and asked in whisper, "What does this 'Kyurem' want with Ash, anyway?"

"I do not know."

"What _do _you know?"

Reshiram replied with a warning glare. The crime lord would be more careful questioning her. She went on, though. "Pokémon do not have much use for hostages, and Kyurem couldn't use Ash for much, anyway. Ash is not a trophy, either. Kyurem is not that type."

Giovanni raised an eyebrow. "Lunch, then?"

Reshiram shook her head. "If Ash was dead, I would've known. He's still alive. And Kyurem taking away humans to eat them was nonsense."

"Then what?"

Reshiram narrowed her eyes in thought. "Kyurem is a vengeful type. Not to mention restless and determined. He will not let go of something before it has been forced to an end." The Legendary suddenly found an answer. "He's using Ash as a reminder. A reminder to end something."

There were a few moments as the two thought about it. Then suddenly Giovanni commented, "You seem to know a lot about Kyurem despite not having much interaction with it."

"I do not _know _Kyurem," Reshiram argued. "His exact thoughts are hard to read. Though, I know _how _he feels and thinks."

"How do you know this?"

Reshiram lifted her head again. "Because I was once a part of Kyurem."


	34. Chapter 33

**WARNING: This is a darker chapter.**

* * *

A thick blanket of dark clouds rolled over the Giant Chasm. A cool winter breeze blew over the unforgiving forest, giving chills to the weak. The forest itself was unmoving, as if it was afraid that if it moved, the world would end.

In the center of the gorge was a lone figure. He wore all black with tall boots and fingerless gloves. But darker than his outfit was his shaggy coal-black hair. His determined eyes were dark brown, even looking black in most light.

On the man's shoulder was a large orange mouse with thick brown stripes on its back. Its long wire-like tail ended in a lightning bolt that swayed back and forth. It had large fan-like ears that were sensitive to the faintest of sounds. A Raichu. It clung on to its trainer as he climbed over the untrimmed forest.

"Creepy place, huh?" the trainer commented to his Pokémon.

"Rai…"

"Well, we asked for it, didn't we?" The man gave a laugh. "But it'll be worth it. I think I might call it after this, Raichu."

"Rai?"

The man grinned. "I have my own life now. I want to live it. I guess I'm only doing this to leave a lasting impression." He looked at his partner. "Do you think he'll understand?"

"Rai-chu!"

The Pokémon's trainer smirked again as he trained his gaze in front of him. "I guess we'll find out."

Soon they came across a clearing. The man noticed it seemed mistier here, but it quickly cleared. That was when he noticed the jagged large hole in the very center, like it was a mini-chasm itself. With one final glance with his partner and a small swallow, he cautiously neared. He peered over its edge to find a shallow pool in the very bottom. It was completely unmoving and flat, like it was an actual mirror. Its color was icy, but it was hard to tell as it reflected the world perfectly. As the man stared at it, he found himself citing what he had been told through a mutter.

"There is said to be pool at the heart of the Chasm. It is a seal. If it is simply neared, the seal will be unlocked."

With the line in his head, he cautiously shuffled to its very edge, his toes almost hanging off. He waited patiently for a few moments, but nothing happened.

He pursed his lips. Maybe it was false. That the legends were just fairytales. But while he was considering this, he sensed something. He didn't know how he sensed it; he just did. He felt a shift in the air. No, the universe. He sensed the shift at the strings of Fate as they were being pulled.

He closed his eyes and hummed. No turning back now.

"Raichu." When his Pokémon acknowledged him, he ordered, "Thunder, please."

"RAI!"

Immediately the elder Mouse Pokémon leaped from his shoulder and onto the ground. It tucked its body in and lifted its paws.

"Rrraaaiii—CCCCHHHHUUUU!"

Automatically giant volts of intense electricity shot out like a web from all directions of its tiny body. The strings of yellow power curled, where they reached out and engulfed the peaceful pool. There was a brilliant flash of light and an endless thunder.

The dragon snapped its eyes open. What was that? _What was that? _Immediately it extended it senses, desperately trying to find the source. It was found.

A growl came from the dragon's throat. And then the growl was replaced by thunder as the dark cavern shook. The ice cocoon wrapped around the frozen being began to crack. It started with just a few crevices, but grew and grew until it was like the block of ice was wrapped in black cobweb with chunks of ice falling. And then in a single moment, the ice broke, and the enraged monster was released.

The man walked calmly in the cold cavern. His little evil plan worked, he could tell. Now for the next phase.

But he shuddered at the chilly air, the frigid temperatures breaking through his protective suit. Even his large and thick-furred Raichu complained every once in a while. But they went on, determined to finish what they started. They soon got their reward.

Suddenly the slightly misty air thickened into a strong fog and the air chilled dramatically, increasing the frequency of the travelers' shivers. The trainer was startled at first; almost turning around, before realizing this was it. And then it came.

At first it was a whisper, but quickly grew into a lingering hiss. It sounded like a sinister snake that was giving a strict warning to its opponent. The sound first came from a distant part of the fog before filling the entire air. Raichu murmured and its trainer gulped. But he swallowed his anxiousness and called out in a daring voice, "Are you there, Legendary?"

A shorter hiss was the reply, following by a _boom_. At the same moment, the ground shook and a large figure appeared from the mist. At first all could be seen were the two glowing yellow orbs before the creature neared and allowed the fog to clear to reveal its features.

It was a giant monster that seemed like mixture of a dinosaur and a dragon. It balanced on two oversized legs and its two tiny arms hung uselessly. Its large head swung back and forth, large teeth projecting from its powerful jaws. When the jaws parted, a strange steam would rise from the corners of its mouth. A second glance would confirm the steam was actually ultra-cold air. A crown lined the top of its head with multiple crevices, like the creature was wearing a weird helmet. Crooked, pathetic wings hung from its back. They were barely in one piece and frozen, but they ended with two deadly spikes. The dragon's gray skin rippled and appeared like armor as it glistened from the frozen ice in its scales. The man peered around to see the monster's large, engine-shaped tail.

The creature appeared oblivious to its surroundings, or better yet him, until finally its pupil-less rested on him. Some invading instinct forced the intruder to flinch and freeze in place from its gaze alone. The two stared at each other for a long time, until finally the dragon lifted its head, like it decided it was bored. Completely ignoring the human, it slowly began to walk past him. Each step created a sound of thunder along with an earthquake of its own. The man simply gawked and stared, still unmoving, until finally warmth filled his cold veins. He realized the dragon was headed for the entrance. Oh, no, it wasn't getting away that easily!

The man snarled. "Oh, no you don't!"

He tossed a Pokeball in front of him, summoning a Pokémon. It was a large, dinosaur-like Pokémon standing on four stubby legs. It appeared like a walking plant, especially with the giant exotic plant on its back.

"Venusaur, Frenzy Plant!" its trainer yelled in order.

The Seed Pokémon reared before slamming its front paws with all its weight. It was then thick, giant roots spouted from the frozen ground before racing at the dragon; diving and weaving like a dozen serpents in water and creating thunder of their own. They wrapped around the dragon's ankles and dragged it down. It gave a moaning roar as it slammed onto the ground.

The man smirked before tossing yet another Pokeball. This one contained a large dog that had fiery orange fur with pitch-black stripes and a bushy white mane. Arcanine.

At its trainer's order, it summoned a powerful Overheat. The beam of concentrated fire struck at the fallen form and the cavern shook from a giant explosion. The trainer and his Pokémon stood in place, staring at the dying smoke uneasily.

The silence was broken as without warning a powerful, giant Ice Beam shot from the black cloud. It struck Venusaur square on the head, making the starter cringe in anguish. The attack was able to slip under its belly, where it sent the large Pokémon flying in a blood-curdling scream. The monster was sent over its comrades' heads and disappeared to the other side of the cavern.

Before anyone could work up a good yell, another attack shot out. This one appeared like a gigantic Hyper Beam. This one hit Arcanine.

The trainer and Raichu covered their faces as the blast exploded before them, the force of the wind smacking their faces and smoke blowing by them. They anxiously waited for the explosion to die down. Only when it did, their stomachs knotted. The smoke cleared to reveal the charred remains of his beloved canine.

Raichu fell into shock while the man bit his lip in a cringe of outrage. "YOU BASTARD!"

He didn't hesitate to toss two more Pokeballs. From them came a giant snake made of large boulders, coated in impenetrable steel. Hovering by its head was a large brown bird with red head feathers covering its eyes. Steelix and Staraptor.

They didn't hesitate to charge when their long-time trainer roared for them to attack with all their power. Immediately they raced forward; Steelix in a Double-Edge and Staraptor using Brave Bird.

But the smoke on the other side of the cavern was clearing, revealing a standing dragon coolly stepping forward, glaring at its opponents. The trainer's Pokémon were halfway to it when suddenly the dragon tossed it head and snapped its wings. The air surrounding it stirred before it blasted in all directions in a visible shockwave of super-cold air. The Pokémon screamed as the strange attack was a direct hit.

They both crashed onto the ground simultaneously. Frost covered their bodies, quickly hardening into a layer of ice. The perpetrator only gave a snort as it settled into a relax pose. It was far from sweating.

The trainer almost fell to his knees. There was no way! These were his most powerful Pokémon! They were with him for years and he trained them to the very best of their species. And this demon from hell was acting like they were nothing.

Humph. Maybe they were nothing. Despite his bubbling rage, the man closed his eyes. This creature was not an ordinary Legendary. Simple Pokémon could not defeat it. He should run away. But he won't. It was too late for that. He could feel it. He could feel the hands of Fate manipulating him. He would not give up until the very end.

He looked at Raichu, who had clutched to his shoulder the entire time, wearing a stern expression. The Mouse Pokémon sensed it, too, maybe even better than him. With a trustful agreement, they pulled their last stand.

The trainer threw a Pokeball with all his might. A light flashed before a large blue dragon emerged. It had blood-red wings with steel-like armor on its underbelly. It immediately glared with its pitch-black eyes and its razor-sharp teeth flashed in its snarl. A Salamence.

Raichu leaped from its perch and took his new spot on the dragon's head. With a single flap of its wings, the Salamence charged at the rival dragon with incredible speed. Halfway to its target, the Dragon Pokémon's head began to glow a bright orange. But then it used years of practice to concentrate its attack to focus the power within its jaws. It opened its mouth to have a glowing orb of swirling energy formed between its teeth. And then finally it released it almighty attack: a concentrated form of Draco Meteor.

The gigantic beam of pure dragon power raced at the enemy dragon. And then Raichu added a powerful Thunder to combine with the attack. The result was the most significant attack ever seen. But that even failed.

The enemy dragon sucked in a deep breath, parting its jaws wide. An orange glow appeared from the back of its throat. And then just before the legendary attack hit, the monster unleashed a gigantic Dragon Pulse of pure power, appearing more like a crazy Flamethrower than a normal attack. The attacks mixed, where an explosion succeeding a nuclear bomb shook the entire cavern.

The man lost his balance and fell, but his Pokémon were able to keep going. Big mistake.

Their senses covered, they blindly charged right into the creature's jaws. Salamence was completely defenseless as the rival dragon simply snapped and plucked its prey out of the air. The Dragon Pokémon gave a startled scream and Raichu was helplessly thrown away. Salamence's scream was suddenly cut short. There was a sickening crunch of breaking armored scales and bone. The enemy carelessly flung its defeated opponent to the side like a ragdoll.

Raichu had fallen back halfway to its trainer and was limp on the hard ground, but luckily still breathing. Its trainer had recovered from his ordeal to see his partner. He found himself captured by impulse as he leaped to his feet and sprinted to his Pokémon. With a yell of dismay, he scooped up the large mouse and cradled it, hugging it tightly to his chest.

But before he could probably check over it, the ice dragon struck again. It summoned another Hyper Beam, this one thankfully weaker than the first, but still packed a punch. It struck at the human's feet, creating an explosion on impact. The man yelled and found himself flying through the air.

He lost his grip on his Pokémon where distance quickly won. Like a ragdoll, the man slammed onto the ground, skidded, and slammed again on his head. He gave a grunt of pain, but despite his spinning head, he was able to hear a thud of Raichu's landing. With a loud moan, the man squirmed, desperately trying to stand up. But his body wouldn't obey him. Never the less, he tried again, only for the glaring monster to part its jaws and give a frustrated growl. The intruder was almost in a sitting position when suddenly a powerful Ice Beam was fired at him. Instead of freezing, this attack was another explosive. Its victim cried as his treatment was repeated. The end result was him rolling onto his side, unmoving and giving whimpers of pain.

He waited for his attacker to finish him off, but he only heard a deep snort. The dragon turned away from him and resumed its slow journey to the entrance. But his victim was only amused by this. A remote-like device made it to his hand and finger resting patiently on the only button. He smirked.

"No you don't," he hissed. And the button was pressed.

On the opposite side of the cavern, the dragon was oblivious to what was above his head. Suddenly over a dozen red LED lights turned on with a ring. And the monster was directly below them when the ceiling exploded.

With a sound louder than thunder, everything from fine dust to great boulders fell, crashing down onto Kyurem. The Boundary Pokémon gave a startled roar, but it was cut off as the Great Dragon of Ice was buried in debris.

The man didn't need to watch to know it was over. He smiled, relieved. But a few moments later, the smile slowly faded.

Soon the freezing temperatures of the catacombs would claim his body. The Pokémon's bodies were to freeze to solid ice along with their master. Later the frozen would become eternally part of the endless catacombs and to be erased from the world.

* * *

Ash screamed. He made no attempt to jump up; only rolling back and forth like a baby in a crib. He screamed at the top of his lungs and sobbed, the tears that formed would immediately freeze.

His guards were slightly startled by the sudden outburst, but made no acknowledgment. Deeper into the caverns, a slumbering Kyurem would open its eyes, but would make no intervention.

It would be a long time before Ash would recover.

He had just witnessed his father's death.


	35. Chapter 34

**A/N: FYI: I will not be using White/Black Kyurem or the Swords of Justice. As much I love the idea, I'm afraid it would add too much complexity and maybe even irrelevant. But to make up for it, I'm giving Kyurem several of my own features. Sorry if I disappointed you, but never the less I'm sure you'll enjoy what I have in store.**

* * *

The Giant Chasm was still and quiet. The cloud cover had parted to allow rays of sunlight to pour into the Chasm. But even with it, it was still a lifeless place. The trees refused to move and there was no wind, as if the atmosphere was holding its breath for a coming tragedy.

Suddenly this eerie silence was broken as an explosion came from the Chasm. A pillar of smoke and dust flew hundreds of feet into the air. After several long moments, the debris slowly began to fall back to the earth.

Leisurely watching the explosion were groups of humans wearing black. Team Rocket. They all wore stern expressions or were even emotionless. Nearby, several more their bombs created similar eruptions. Squeezed between the blast zones were Team Rocket's equipment: ranging from handheld computers to armored vehicles. Team Rocket had set up in a rocky region of the Chasm with a large outcrop looming over them. Some were getting slightly bored: they were told it would be a "difficult" mission and to be prepared. But nothing yet had happened. But then again they were allowed to blow things up…

This changed when a couple groups were watching a certain blast. This one was accompanied by hisses of outrage. Like a cloak, the sheet of dust fell to reveal several Cryogonal.

The Rockets jumped, but they weren't given time to react as suddenly the head Cryogonal summoned an orb of energy in front of its frown. The orb fired into an Ice Beam and struck at their feet. They all yelled as they were engulfed by the force of the attack.

Other groups of Rockets were receiving the same treatment from other violent Cryogonal. The shock quickly faded, though, and Team Rocket countered. They threw out their Pokémon, mostly fire-types, and the battle began. In moments the Chasm echoed with sounds of their fighting.

Slightly off to the side and secured from the battles was the operation's head: Pierce. He stared at the warzone before him with his expressionless gaze, analyzing the situation and putting the pieces of the puzzle together. His second-in-commands were by his side. Most of the time he was silent, but he would give orders that would quickly be passed on to all the others.

"You really think this is gonna work?" one of the officers asked.

"If Kyurem really cares about its territory, it'll come," Pierce replied without moving his gaze.

Little did they know that within the caverns, Kyurem was stirring. It heard sounds of battle and the voices of his followers. It sensed there were intruders. And these intruders were blackness. The dragon began to open its eyes.

The Cryogonal were almost defeated when it happened. Another charge was set off above the outcrop's main entrance, creating a screen of debris over the dark void. But through the screen appeared two orbs flashing from the darkness. In the same instant, without warning a large figure barged through and stormed into the sunlight.

Kyurem took pose in the center of the battle, tossing its head into the sky. It opened its fearsome jaws wide and let out a gruesome roar.

"Holy shit," an officer cursed, not expecting the Legendary's entrance to be so intimidating.

Pierce was still unfazed. "Call in some reinforcements," he ordered casually. "And turn all attention on Kyurem. We are to distract it as long as possible."

* * *

On the other side of the outcrop, Iris and Cilan were desperately scaling the natural formation. They heard the battle from where they were, and Kyurem's declaration chilled them to the core. But they kept going, determined to succeed in their part of the mission.

Their Pokémon were returned to them, their Pokeballs clicked to their belts with Axew on Iris's shoulder and Pikachu on Cilan's.

After what felt like eternity and several close calls, they found a large crevice leading to the catacombs. The friends exchanged nods of agreement and determined glances. And then one at a time, they squirmed into the dark entrance.

Ash stirred from his uneasy slumber. He blinked as slowly lifted his head. It felt like something woke him up. In answer, he suddenly heard a distant _boom _with a slight vibration pulsing through the ground. The prisoner blinked again and lifted himself into a sitting position. What was _that_?

He was perfectly still as he thought about it. Kyurem? No, there something different about it. The noise sounded too distant. Like it was coming from _outside_. And then the boy noticed his guards seemed nervous: anxiously moving and uncertainty in their eyes. Something was up. It came to him.

Was something attacking Kyurem's territory? But what? Was it because of him? After that wonderment, impulse got the best of him.

He quickly shifted to a crouching position and then screamed at the very top of his lungs, "HHHEEELLLPPP!" He sensed the Cryogonal start and glance at him. They were focused on their thoughts and were expecting him to be quiet. But Ash ignored them as he picked himself into a stand. He cupped his hands around his mouth and called again. "SOMEBODY HELP!"

By now the Cryogonal were realizing what he was doing. They all turned on him and prepared to quiet him. But they never got the chance.

Suddenly a battle cry came from down the corridor. A volt of electricity came from nowhere and engulfed half of the Cryogonal. The victims gave hisses of surprise and pain before falling to ground while their comrades floated out of the way.

Meanwhile Ash ceased his screaming and blinked, watching the scene like it was sort of movie (which it slightly looked like due to the surrounding walls looking like a TV frame). He then immediately recognized the following voice.

"Ash!" Iris called.

"Guys!" he hollered back.

It was then his best friends appeared in the entrance, facing him. Ash's gaze fell to Pikachu who gave a cheer and raced to him. With a laugh, he scooped up his friend. He looked back to the humans.

"I can't believe you came for me," he said.

"Don't tell us you thought we would leave you," Cilan replied, his voice cheery in assurance.

Ash smiled. "Never."

It was then they paid attention to the remaining Cryogonal. They floated restlessly in the air, glaring at them. In silent agreement, Iris and Ash sent Axew and Pikachu onto the battlefield. Cilan called out his main partner Pansage, which was a small green and tan monkey with a tuff of herbs growing on its head. Then as one, they gave their loyal partners orders.

Pikachu sent a Thunderbolt, Axew used Dragon Rage, and Pansage fired a Bullet Seed.

Each attack was a direct hit. The Cryogonal tried to counter, but only for their attacks to miss. By now, only two Cryogonal remained. They charged, but new orders were given to Axew and Pikachu. Pikachu conjured up an Iron Tail and slammed it between one Cryogonal's eyes. Meanwhile Axew was captured by Outrage and giving a savage punch to the other. Finally the children's enemies were defeated.

They gave small cheers. They turned around to leave, but a deep growl stopped them. With a gasp, they whirled around to see the very Beartic that captured Ash glaring at them. It was down on all fours with its lips curled in a snarl and eyes narrowed.

"Whoa, where did he come from?" Ash exclaimed, not realizing the Freezing Pokémon was so close by.

"Oh, I hate ice!" Iris complained. "I thought only the Cryogonal were loyal to Kyurem!"

"Apparently a lot of ice-types swear featly to it," Cilan replied.

Their conversation was cut off as the Beartic fired an Ice Beam. The children yelped as the attack struck the wall by their heads. They ducked out of the way, covering their heads. They then noticed just in time Beartic moving on to the next attack. It lifted itself to its hind legs, parting its jaws to allow an orb of pure energy to form. The beginnings of a Hyper Beam.

"Pikachu, Electro Ball!" Ash called.

"PI!" the Mouse Pokémon replied.

Flipping in midair, he created an orb of electricity on the tip of his tail and flung it at Beartic's mouth. The orbs collided, creating a black explosion engulfing the Beartic. It gave a muffled cry and stumbled backwards, not happy at all about the treatment. But it was still standing, ignoring the growing wounds on its body. No wonder it was so scarred.

But the children knew not to let up. This time Iris and Cilan stepped in.

"Pansage, SolarBeam!"

"Axew, you use Dragon Rage!"

The tiny Pokémon fired their attacks. Thanks to their angles, the two attacks merged, creating a powerful white beam surrounded by blue dragon energy. Beartic didn't stand a chance at the combined attack as it struck its chest. The Freezing Pokémon roared as it was sent flying, crashing onto the ground on its side and skidding to slam into the opposite wall. It seemed to make an attempt to lift its head, but instead went limp with unconsciousness, letting out a soft moan.

The children waited anxiously if the vicious creature would jump back up again and attack them, but it never did.

They gave cheers of victory and relief. Eager to see warmth and sunlight again, they all left the catacombs together.


	36. Chapter 35

The battle against Kyurem was not going well. Ice Beams and fire attacks flew, but not making much damage. Despite the original population of Cryogonal had decreased, somehow Kyurem's presence regrouped his followers, having the ice-type Pokémon working as one. Even worse, more ice-types had joined the battle: Beartic, Sneasel and Weavile, and even Mamoswine.

Team Rocket was far from surrendering, but even they had their limits. They were running out of supplies and equipment, not to mention Pokémon, despite how much they pushed. They were starting to use desperate measures, such as now using charges and human weapons on their opponents. Thankfully they were proving effective, but the fight was far from over.

And even though the soldiers were ordered to focus on Kyurem, they found themselves shying away from the mighty dragon. Never in their life did they imagine a Legendary being so powerful. The dragon would fire attacks with unknown power and size, strike mercilessly, and took damage like it was nothing. Its empty eyes chilled them to the core, but they could tell the beast was glaring at them with hatred. It would do whatever means necessary to rid of its trespassers.

The battle went on for even longer, and finally who was winning started to show. And it was the Ice Pokémon.

Several Rockets had fled; fear getting the best of them or simply giving up. More were starting to resort to their last stand. Supplies were quickly diminishing, and more and more equipment was being damaged each minute. Meanwhile, even though the Ice Pokémon's numbers had decreased, they were far hardier than the Rockets' Pokémon. _They would not give up._

They would fall long after a Rocket fell, and their Pokémon were _bred _to fight. And it wasn't just the Pokémon, either, they were just a fraction. It was their master: Kyurem. The monster was a prime example of not letting up.

Rockets screamed as the Boundary Pokémon barged forward, crashing into the main body of their equipment. Pierce and his officers leaped out of the way, lower agents following. The poor humans were barely settling in their new hiding places when Kyurem lunged onto a large armored tank.

With a hiss, it planted a foot on top of the vehicle, digging its claws into the metal. It then quickly bent down and crunched. With just a bite, it ripped the metal apart, almost tearing the entire vehicle in half. It lifted it head high with the heavy load of metal hanging from its jaws, sending new fear and awe to observers. But even Kyurem found it too much of a burden, so it gave a violent toss of its head. It opened its jaws, having the junk soar into the air, only to land on another piece of equipment.

The result was a massive blast: sending anyone standing nearby flying and even setting other things on fire. This created the perfect excuse for even more Team Rocket agents to flee. What was left of the organization's supplies was ravaged by flames and destruction in a matter of seconds.

Kyurem was ripping apart another tank when it decided to lift its head once again. It let lot savage roar of challenge, daring anything that heard to oppose it.

* * *

Little did Kyurem know that his challenge was heard.

Reshiram was slowly circling far above the Chasm riding on the air currents, waiting for the opportunity to strike. And Kyurem gave it to her.

His roar racked her ears and spread across her senses and her body until it stabbed her heart. Her response was baring her sharp fangs.

_You may be powerful, Ice Dragon, but so am I._

Without a second thought, the Vast White Dragon arced into the sky before diving straight for the ground below.

* * *

"Take this, you son of a bitch!"

An agent pulled the trigger of his oversized bazooka, firing two rockets at once. Kyurem didn't notice them until they violently stuck its side, exploding on impact. The dragon gave a moaning roar and stumbled, disliking the heat and force of the rude attack. But it simply blinked its discomfort away and straightened itself.

Recovered, the angry beast searched for the source. It found the lone Team Rocket member crouching in the dirt, the bazooka loosely hanging from his shoulder. The man's face immediately fell when he realized he had been discovered. He gave a fearful cringe and started to shiver under its gaze. As Kyurem stepped forward, its freezing spells strengthening, competing with the nearby flames.

Its prey pinned, the dragon began to part its jaws in the beginnings of a powerful attack. It didn't even start fully charging until it was suddenly interrupted.

A loud, piercing roar came from the heavens above. It was déjà vu all over again as an inferno of red flame shot from the sky, completely engulfing Kyurem. The Boundary Pokémon screamed as it disappeared in the flames, not even its silhouette visible.

The second the fire started to diminish, Kyurem desperately leaped away, only to dive into another fire caused by its own destruction. It gave another painful screech and barged away from this annoyance. Finally it found a safe spot on a large barren rock, balancing near the top. It looked up at the source of the attack. What it saw enraged it further.

Hovering above was Reshiram.

Violent, racing winds spiraled around her. Flames spilled from her turbine-like tail, releasing intense heat into the atmosphere. This heat immediately countered the freezing air and defrosted anything covered by ice. The winds she created blew out the fires around her like they were the flames of candles. She slowly flapped her wings as if they were moving through syrup, but she was able to stay in place.

She appeared completely emotionless, save for the cold glare she gave Kyurem with her burning blue eyes. Kyurem stared at her back, also completely unmoving. The dragons were quiet for a long time, simply taking their time staring at the other. Only the howling wind was heard.

At last, Reshiram parted her jaws wide and let out her roar. It had a beautiful note to it, but at the same time it showed traces of fierceness and deadliness like no other. In reply, Kyurem let out his own roar. It was a mixture of a deep growl and a high-pitched screech, if that was even possible. It was cold, deadly, and unforgiving.

The dragons lunged at each other, and the second Battle of the Dragons began.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry if going back and forth of "it" and "he" for Kyurem got a little confusing. That was mostly based of perspective. The humans aren't aware of Kyurem's gender and plus they really don't care. Reshiram calls him a "he" because she's a fellow Legendary and knows his identity.**

**Not a very active chapter, I know, but only because I'm saving the best for last!**


	37. Chapter 36

Ash was never so happy to breathe fresh air and see bright sunlight in his entire life. At first he was almost blinded by the light after being the dark catacombs for so long, but he quickly adjusted. When he blinked his eyes open, he saw the floor of the Giant Chasm spread out before him, its dark walls in the distance blocking out the horizon. But he noticed something was wrong.

It was freezing, like it was in the middle of dead winter. Ice covered the rocks and began to appear in the forest. In some places it had evolved into snow. He and his friends automatically understood the source. Kyurem.

They had escaped his lair through an alternative entrance/exit, which led them to the side of the outcrop leading to more crags. The children were quickly crawling over the rough terrain, eagerly trying to get to the rendezvous point with Team Rocket.

His friends had actually made an alliance with Team Rocket. Or better yet, _Reshiram_ teamed up with them. They were supposed to be natural and arch enemies. Ash still couldn't get his head around the concept. But there was another time for that. As they were making rough process, the young trainer found a bad feeling settling in his stomach. The air was too cold. It was too quiet. Something was wrong. _Very _wrong.

"Where's Reshiram?" he demanded, turning on his friends.

Cilan opened his mouth to reply, but ended up widening his eyes to an unnatural length. Iris quickly followed his example. Before Ash could ask, Cilan pointed to a space behind him.

"Ash, look!"

Ash was just turning around when a loud roar deafened his hearing. Everyone immediately covered their ears and squinted their eyes tight. Ash forced his eyes to open just in time to see rapid movement from above. He followed the movement, only to widen his eyes himself.

Far above the Chasm, almost mixing with the low-hanging clouds was Reshiram. It appeared as if she was dancing, making unpredictable movements and aerial stunts. But it was no dance of please. Suddenly a pure beam of ice shot from a nearby cloud, missing Reshiram by inches. No seconds lapsed when a large figure appeared from the white substance, trails of mist clinging to it. Kyurem.

With a screech, it shot another Ice Beam. Reshiram dodged by diving from the sky. Ash noticed she was headed towards their direction. He ran to the edge of the outcrop, trying to get closer to her.

"Reshiram!"

The dragon noticed him. But instead of going straight to him, she pivoted around to make a flyby past the outcrop. Ash saw what she was doing. Pikachu clinging to his shoulder and leaving his friends behind, he ran by the edge in the same direction Reshiram was moving. The very split second he felt warm wind buffeting him, he made a mad leap off the outcrop. He found himself landing squarely on Reshiram's back.

The two exchanged glances and a warm smile, despite the situation. Reshiram took a moment to fly straight, allowing Ash to get into position on her shoulders. Now the battle truly began.

Reshiram glanced behind them.

_"Hang on," _she warned.

A questioning grunt escaped Ash's lips, but it was cut off. Without warning, the ground behind them exploded.

"WAH!" Ash screamed.

Reshiram flapped her wings, gaining altitude to escape from the explosive earth. An angry roar came the newly created dust cloud. Ash looked over his shoulder to see Kyurem shoot out, only to streak towards the sky far above them at an impossible speed. The boy gasped. So fast!

He couldn't get a good view due to the glaring sun, but he was able to notice the ice dragon fly into a hover. Kyurem bent its head back slightly and parted it jaws. Contrasted against the sunlight, Ash still saw the fiery orb of raw power form from within its mouth. Kyurem suddenly threw its head, where swirling orange energy shot from the sky. A Dragon Pulse.

Ash immediately followed its path to strike right in front of them. But Reshiram saw this as well. Just before the powerful attack struck them, the dragon suddenly spiraled, positioning her body to be parallel with the attack for a split second before flying past it. Unfortunately much to Ash's displeasure, the stunt caused her to flip upside down.

The poor boy and his mouse screamed. Ash wrapped his arms tightly around Reshiram's neck and painfully pressed his knees against her side, desperately trying not to end up hanging. Literally.

Sensing the discomfort, Reshiram flipped back upright. Ash covered his mouth.

_"Sorry," _she muttered.

"Ugh. I'm fine."

Suddenly the air shifted with a cold wind. There was a whooshing sound, where dragon and rider looked over their shoulders. Kyurem was behind them.

"He doesn't give up!" Ash sighed.

_"It'll be a long time before he does."_

The enemy dragon let out another screech. Its jaws closed, only to reopen to unleash an attack. Ash saw visible super-cold wind pour from its mouth in a concentrated beam. The weird attack just missed Reshiram, ending up striking the ground below.

Even from the air, Ash saw the earth shake from the attack as a giant cloud of black smoke spread over the blast zone. Kyurem sped over it, the winds from its flight clearing the debris to reveal the zone was completely frozen in solid ice. It was glistening perfectly under the sun, more so than the lake he had witnessed. He gasped.

"What was _that_?" he yelped.

Reshiram followed his gaze. _"Glaciate. Be careful. If it hits us, it'll be the end."_

She couldn't speak better as Ash spied Kyurem repeating his movements. The dragon settled above them, jaws wide while inhaling the cold winds around it.

"Reshiram…"

Reshiram didn't hesitate. Without warning, she suddenly pivoted back around to face Kyurem, flying straight towards him. Ash was about to ask was she was doing, but was distracted by something from behind. He looked to see that Reshiram's engine tail was activated. Fiery orange flames spilled into the atmosphere, quickly darkening to a blood-red. And then without warning, the fire was replaced by anew. But now they were a different color.

It was now a white-blue flare.

Reshiram growled, her body reverberating under Ash's legs. She then copied Kyurem's movement: she bent her neck back while inhaling warm air.

She released her attack.

Great, blue flame came from Reshiram's mouth, quickly growing in intensity and power. It glistened in the sun and glowed in the extra light. The frigid air war immediately warmed. It was Reshiram's most powerful attack: Blue Flare.

The fire spread across the sky before coming together as a concentrated inferno of blue and white color, racing towards its target Kyurem. But the enemy had fired its own attack; and it was just as powerful. Glaciate.

The attacks collided halfway, where with a clap of thunder, the air was filled with smoke and stream. Ash gave a startled yelp and Reshiram a squawking roar. She flapped her wings and turned, driving herself away from the strange cloud and into clear sky.

When Ash's blurred vision cleared, he saw the dragons had switched places. It was now Reshiram soaring in the sky with Kyurem hovering just above the ground. But that wasn't for long.

Just like before, Kyurem shot from its position and rose to meet Reshiram. The white dragon tried to pull away, but her rival was too quick.

There was an uncomfortable jolt as Kyurem latched onto Reshiram, his claws digging painfully into her skin. The female dragon gave a roar of pain and flapped her wings to pull away, but Kyurem was too strong. The larger dragon tried to bite her neck and head to inflict extra damage. Thankfully despite the lack of room, Reshiram was able to bend out of the way and have the dragon's teeth snatch at nothing. A few times Kyurem's jaws had missed and gotten too close to Ash, missing the boy by a millimeter and provoking a wail. Due their struggle, the dragons began losing altitude, but no one noticed.

Finally Reshiram's hero acted as he yelled the order, "Pikachu, Iron Tail!"

Without hesitating, the yellow rodent slid down his trainer's arm. Clinging to the boy's arm, Pikachu swung his tail to strike Kyurem's eye.

The dragon screamed and immediately unlocked his grip. Reshiram took no time in ripping away. Once there were a few feet between them, she rewarded Kyurem with another Blue Flare. The ice dragon screamed again and lost its balance altogether, falling to the earth far below. But before it crashed, the dragon corrected itself, lunging back up into the sky. And the battle continued.

Flame and ice tore across the sky; savage roars filled the air; and violent clap of thunders could be heard from the ground far below. Warm and cold air clashed and mixed, sometimes even making a mini storm cloud. The Chasm's atmosphere was changing; the once still air was now becoming completely unpredictable. The dragon's danced around each other, nipping at the other's heels and blasting an attack. When one would hit, the force would sting to the bone. It was truly a battle of Fire and Ice.

Ash just simply hung on for dear life. Finally the dragon's parted, allowing him to straighten, a hand gripping Reshiram's shoulder. He glared back at Kyurem, who was recovering from the most recent attack. In was then the boy was able to make one final acknowledgment and piece together all his observations of the battle.

"Hey, Reshiram," he said.

_"Yes?"_

"You can fly mostly because you manipulate warm air, right?"

Reshiram paused, but grunted, encouraging Ash to go on.

"Well then, how does Kyurem fly?"

He nodded to the dragon by tilting his head. Kyurem's wings weren't even wings. They were too shriveled and torn to be of any use. In fact, Ash hadn't even seen the dragon flap them once. Reshiram saw where her hero was going. She smiled.

_"Cold wind."_

"You wanna try it?"

_"With pleasure."_

She shot towards the enemy dragon at a breakneck speed, even using her tail to add some power. Kyurem hadn't even noticed her until she was upon him. She unleashed a powerful Flamethrower, completely engulfing him once again. But she was not aiming for the dragon; she was aiming for the air around him. Kyurem gave a startled roar. And just like they expected, he dropped like a rock.

Halfway down, the dragon desperately tried to correct itself, only for Reshiram to release another fire attack. The flames quickly evolved from orange to red to blue, following Kyurem all the way down into he crashed into the Chasm below. There was a great crashing roar and a giant cloud of debris flew into the air.

Reshiram lowered towards the crash site to hover above the smoke, observing her work. When Ash saw no movement, he laughed and triumphantly threw a fist into the air.

"We did it!" he whooped.

But the young boy was too caught up into his cheers that he didn't notice the orange glow from inside the dust until was too late. Without warning, a great Dragon Pulse unlike any other shot from its origin and raced up at them in an unworldly speed. The powerful attack was a direct hit on Reshiram's chest.

The dragon screamed as she was forced into the air, speeding up until her altitude had doubled. Finally the attack began to subside. But instead of simply fading, the attack turned into an explosive and engulfed the dragon in smoke. She roared in pain, only to spiral out of control.

Screams mingled as the world began to spin. Like someone was rapidly playing with a light switch, the sky and earth flipped back and forth so much Ash forgotten which was which. The realms continued to play their game until they mixed altogether. The fall seemed like eternity and the feelings that came with it felt like torture. But still the end felt too sudden.

There was a great jolt, racking everything in Ash's body. He was suddenly torn from Reshiram and Pikachu fell away, only for his vision to be filled with dry dirt. He grunted as he slammed onto the rough terrain like a ragdoll. He rolled, spun, and his limbs entangled as he was dragged around the ground. Finally he came to a halt, his body flat and face buried in the dirt.

The earth suddenly shook as there was another crash nearby. A quick roar followed. And then there was silence.

Ash lay still for a long time, but his internal instinct warned him to move. And so, with his body trembling in pain, he planted his palms into the dirt and shakily pushed himself up. All he could do was raise his head to see a dreadful sight.

Reshiram was sprawled on some nearby rocks, covered in wounds. The great Legendary hissed in pain and her eyes were shut tight. Like Ash, she attempted to get up, but could only squirm and wiggle in agony. Ash's stomach knotted, but he was interrupted as the earth shook again and a cold hiss filled the air.

The trainer ripped his gaze away from Reshiram to his left to see Kyurem climbing onto the plateau with them. The ice dragon continued to hiss and its eyes were narrowed. Before Ash realized what it was doing, he observed Kyurem closely for the first time, only to be sickened.

The dragon's armor was covered in ice, proving it _was _frozen, but it was coated in something else. Scars. Scars of every shape and size. Scars inflicted by ancient abuse to recent battles for survival. Its yellow glowing eyes were completely empty, the only thing betraying that it had no soul. Its soul had been stolen long ago. And because of it, the dragon was doomed with eternal punishment and suffering.

Ash found himself wanting to cry. No, it wasn't right. It wasn't right for a creature to go through this. _No _being should go through this.

As he observed the dragon some more, he noticed something else. Kyurem was far beyond exhaustion. If one looked closely at its legs long enough, they could pick up on the subtle trembling of its legs. And how Kyurem wobbled with each step, almost like it was drunk or injured. Each inch it moved came with a struggling pant.

Ash's heart knotted with his stomach. It wasn't fair…

But he was ripped away from his depression as he finally realized what Kyurem was doing. It was heading straight for Reshiram. A murderous gleam was in its eye. To Kyurem the battle wasn't over yet. He was going to kill Reshiram.

"NO!"

Ash didn't know what happened. One second he was immobile the ground; the next he was leaping to his feet and almost flying. He skidded to a halt between the two mighty dragons, and to his own disbelief, faced Kyurem. He snapped his arms to their full width and held his legs slightly apart. He gave his own murderous glare to Kyurem. To his shock, the dragon paused.

It slid to a halt and stared at him in confusion. After a long moment, the ice dragon snorted and slightly shook its head, as if to say, _"Get out of the way, filthy human!"_

In response Ash shook his head rapidly like a stubborn child. This made Kyurem narrow its eyes in annoyance. But Ash had decided to get to the dragon with words.

"No, Kyurem!" he warned. "I won't let you hurt anyone else! Kyurem, this isn't fair! You punish and blame others when they did nothing to you. You turn your grief into violence and use it to hurt people!" Suddenly the boy choked and his shoulders trembled. With a shake of his head, he forced himself to continue. "I know, Kyurem, I know you have suffered. You weren't born into this world like other Pokémon, and because of that people were scared of you. They attacked you when you thought you did nothing wrong. And you want revenge. But—" He faltered. "But… you're just doing the same thing!"

Kyurem blinked at this. It was then the Legendary watched the boy break down right in front of him. His chokes turned into sobs and his shoulders began to quiver uncontrollably. Tears rolled down his cheeks and fell to the dirty ground below. His eyes were shut tight and his face twisted in a painful cringe as he tried to stop himself, but he couldn't. His sobs turned into a scream.

"So stop it! Just stop it! Don't do this! Please, Kyurem, please stop being so angry!"

Kyurem blinked again and shuffled its stance. What was this human doing? Was this a trick? No… This human, it touched Kyurem. No creature had stood up to it like this. And the very thought of destroying him made Kyurem uncomfortable. He could sense it. He could sense the countless scents and auras of Legendaries surrounding this boy. He had met many of them, and within their meeting, that Legendary left a piece of their aura with their thoughts with him to announce their approval of him. And there were many praises of him. He was like a chosen one. He was chosen to bring Kyurem salvation.

The Legendary gave a sigh-like growl. It suddenly shifted it weight, but instead of barging past Ash, it slowly turned away. It turned towards the direction of the catacombs, and slowly began to crawl away. He climbed down the decline of their perch, where he ducked out of sight and disappeared altogether. Kyurem was gone.

But Ash had gotten too caught up in his emotions. He was stilling bawling like a baby, unable to control himself. What did he just do? He didn't know. He knew he had faced the very creature responsible for the death of his father, yet he did nothing. He did nothing but cry in front of it. And yet, it changed something.

He fell to his knees. Tears were steadily flowing from his eyes, creating mini-waterfalls on his cheeks. He was trembling uncontrollably and had to bite his tongue to stop from screaming. Suddenly a scuffle from nearby interrupted him.

"Ash…"

The deep voice summoned a gasp from Ash and had him leap to his feet. He whirled around to face the newcomer. Giovanni.

The tall man stared at him. It would take a moment for Ash to realize he was wearing real concern and sympathy. The interruption had caused to him cease his wails, but it was a single cough that created a fresh wave of tears. His legs wobbled as they became numb.

Without saying a word, Giovanni neared him. And there was no protest as he wrapped his arms around boy in a gentle embrace. Without warning, Ash's mental barriers broke.

At his harsh cry, both collapsed to their knees. Giovanni's hug became tighter as Ash's fell into him. The nephew buried his face into his uncle's chest and cried.

* * *

**A/N: Yay for ridiculously long battles!**

**And I know that probably wasn't the best conclusion. But I felt that simply defeating Kyurem would be too easy and I wasn't going to ****_kill _****him. And besides, like I tried to hint before, defeating Kyurem wouldn't be permanent. It would only slumber for a few decades in order to recover and go on another rampage. Ash's words gave Kyurem a long-lasting impression and made him learn his lesson.**

**Plus I wanted an excuse to make Giovanni and Ash hug again. ;)**

**Hold on, there's still more to go!**


	38. Chapter 37

"There they are!" Iris cried.

She and Cilan were with the remaining forces of Team Rocket. Almost everyone turned to see nearing them was their boss, Giovanni, with Ash Ketchum trudging by his side. Reshiram was trailing behind them, looking better than she was before, but still exhausted.

Despite his companions, Iris and Cilan ran up to meet their friend, each taking a turn to give him a warm hug. His spirits seemed to brighten at this as he hugged them back. Pikachu appeared from Reshiram's side and scrambled up onto his shoulder. Finally together, everyone made their way to the makeshift camp.

* * *

Ash insisted a million times he was perfectly fine, but that didn't stop from the dozen doctors that were determined on fussing over him. He heard Iris and Cilan were checked over as well, and to his surprise, even Reshiram. She allowed her healers to give her some medicine before sending them off with a snarl.

It was like a crime scene on one of those movies as every Rocket from every rank was doing something, either packing up or checking something that didn't need to be checked. He noticed that they were careful to not to acknowledge him. During the mess, someone had given Ash a thick blanket, where he didn't hesitate to wrap it around himself. Somehow separated from his friends, he sat alone on a workbench, either watching Team Rocket's activities or blankly staring to space.

The sun was lowering, created shades of red across the sky. And despite an autumn night was nearing, the air was warming from its previous temperature. Kyurem was sleeping. And it would be in slumber for a long time, only to awaken if the seal was ever disturbed.

Ash was so caught up in his thoughts he barely noticed Giovanni's approach. With a small grunt, the man sat down next to him. Neither said a word. They continued to remain in their own worlds and ignore each other. Finally Ash broke the silence. He had no idea what he was going to say was wise, but he didn't care.

"Kyurem showed me a dream of my father's death," he stated.

Giovanni closed his eyes. "I'm sorry you had to learn that way."

Ash ignored his comment. "Did you send him?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because he asked." He turned to his nephew before the boy could question him. He didn't like talking about the past, but he knew he had no choice. "We had been tracking strange activities in Unova. Jo—your father, volunteered to investigate. I warned him that he was on his own; Team Rocket was smaller then and we didn't have the resources to supply him. I—I never imagined he would actually try to take matters into his own hands."

"He did it to impress you. He thought if his final mission was a huge success, you would allow him to retire and raise his family away from Team Rocket."

Giovanni closed his eyes again. "I know," he grumbled. "If I knew what he was up to, I would've never had sent him."

"He didn't do it just for you."

This caused Giovanni glance at him in surprise and confusion. Ash just glared up at him.

"Kyurem was planning to go on a rampage," the boy informed. "Dad figured it out. He went to Kyurem's lair to stop him. He didn't die from a stupid mission. He saved Unova."

This new information had Giovanni smirk. "He_ was_ always a fool." After moment, he asked, "So why was Kyurem so interested in you?"

"Because I was the intruder's son. Kyurem felt that their battle didn't probably finish. I guess since technically it was a tie. He wanted to finish the battle with me. And he did."

"You actually figured all of this out on your own?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

Ash glared at him to demand for answer, but Giovanni only replied with a teasing smile. Ash gave up and they went back to their original positions. But Ash still wanted to go on.

"It was my father's death that made Mom so mad at you, wasn't it?"

"She never admitted it, but it was one of the reasons she left. She secretly blamed me for the death of her husband, since she was still paranoid that I hated him and was plotting his death. But she owed me too much and still loved me. She allowed me to support you two by sending checks, paying her bills, and anything she needed."

"And to make that deal with you."

"…Yes."

They went silent then, once again captured by their own thoughts. Ash stared into space until he felt himself falling on Giovanni's arm. In response the man slid his arm around the boy's back. Ash's head fell on his shoulder while Giovanni's chin rested on his head. Ash ignored the few curious glances and lulled into a doze.

* * *

"You're leaving?"

Ash and his friends were facing Reshiram now. Being a Legendary that healed fast and had been treated, her strength was restored. She looked down on the humans gently.

_"Peace has been restored. I am no longer needed."_

Ash couldn't help but lower his head. "Oh, I—I understand." He looked back up at her. "I'll miss you, though."

_"I'll miss you, too."_

She lowered her head, where Ash cupped her chin in his hands. She gently nuzzled his head with her snout.

Ash silently wished for her to stay longer, but it was the right thing to do. He had no reason to have a Legendary, despite how close they were. They were free creatures and their powers had better use than simple battles. And besides, Ash knew how much Reshiram loved exploring the skies of her Unova. He couldn't take that away from her.

He stepped back, allowing his friends to say their comments, too.

"Come visit the Village of Dragons whenever you want, Reshiram," Iris told her. "We would love to have you."

"And if you ever need help, just come find us, okay?" Cilan added eagerly.

Reshiram chuckled. _"I will."_

There was a scuffle as someone joined them. Ash slightly looked his shoulder to see Giovanni nearing. Reshiram snorted and lifted her head, glaring him down. But Giovanni refused to be unfazed. The two stared at each other for a moment before having their discussion via telepathy.

_"I will do nothing to you for now," _the crime lord promised. _"But one day, Unova will be mine."_

With another snort, Reshiram lowered her head to be eye level with him, their heads inches apart. To their observers, they were simply having another stare down, which in some sense they were. After a moment of silence, Reshiram finally replied coolly, _"I'll like to see you try."_

With that, she pulled away. With a flap of her wing, she shot high into the air. The dying sun's rays glowed onto her white fur, making her look like a fiery goddess.

The children called their final farewells and waved their arms madly. Reshiram circled above them a couple times before turning towards the sun. With a light roar, she opened her jaws and unleashed blue flame. The fire swirled and danced across the sky, like it was a dragon of its own.

The Vast White Dragon of Truth and Fire flew into the distance.


	39. Epilogue

Strong winds howled around the white dragon. Giant silhouettes of great stone mountains surrounded her, looking like their own guardians of the land. The dragon rode the winds between them, weaving back and forth over valleys and gorges.

At last she came to a mountain slightly larger than the rest. In its center was a large, yawning cave. The dragon swooped down and ducked inside. She folded her wings at the last second, resulting a perfect landing inside.

The cave led deeper into the mountain, a void of darkness the only greeting. The dragon calmly crawled into this void. The cave turned into a tunnel that turned into caverns. The tunnels and caverns branched in all directions to all sides of the mountain, even going below and stretching across the valley. The network was more complex than the catacombs in the Giant Chasm, but the dragon knew almost all of them very well.

Her journey led her to a cavern in the very heart of the mountain. Despite the entire network was pitch-black, this place seemed darker than the rest. But still, the deep black mass sprawled across the floor seemed outlined against the darkness. Zekrom.

The Dragon of Ideals stirred at the dragon's approach. Blood-red eyes blinked open. He lazily lifted his head.

_"Reshiram?" _he murmured.

The Dragon of Truth hushed him. _"I am here." _She neared him and gently nudged the side of his head. _"Go back to sleep."_

Her mate didn't argue as he obediently let his head fall. He was unconscious in mere moments. Reshiram chuckled. She curled beside him, their heads inches apart. She soon too fell asleep. Their deep breathing would hypnotize the other, and one's presence alone was enough.

Soon they feel into deep slumber. Months later, during their hibernation their bodies would turn into their respective stones. Where they would await patiently for their new heroes…

* * *

Giovanni sat alone in his office. His loyal Persian was sleeping peacefully on the nearby couch, oblivious to her surroundings. Her master was sitting at his desk, eyebrows furrowed.

With a sigh, he pulled open a drawer. He pulled out an object from within the dark void. It was a framed picture. In the picture was a young boy in his early teens with gleaming black eyes and spikey reddish-brown hair. Closely next to him was a young girl around the age of ten with shoulder-length auburn hair that was tied in a neat ponytail. Her eyes were closed and her mouth opened in a laugh. The boy next to her wore a cocky but warm smile. It was a picture of the younger versions of Giovanni and Delia.

Giovanni flipped the picture over, where he popped out the back frame. But instead of one picture falling out, there were two. There was another image hidden behind the first. Giovanni held this one in his thumb as he studied this one as well.

This one had an older version of Delia in a pretty summer dress. Her hair was longer now, but it was the same color and in the same, perfect ponytail. Her chocolate brown eyes gleamed and she wore a sweet smile. No one would've ever guessed she was a raised criminal. Next to her was a taller man with raven black hair. His spikey hair was in an attempted neat look as he wore causal business attire. His almost black eyes beamed with pride. And cradled between them was a baby.

It looked peaceful, but the energy bubbling underneath could be sensed. Despite it was still growing, the baby's hair was the exact same shade of his father. His wide brown eyes were exactly like his mother's. Ash.

The man sighed. Looking at these pictures reminded him what had to be done. Placing the photos down with great caution, he turned his attention to his phone. He dialed the number that had been his head for years and patiently listened to the ringing.

"Hello?" a woman's voice answered.

Giovanni couldn't help but swallow. He couldn't remember the last time he heard her voice. "Delia."

Immediately the line was filled with tension. A temperature colder than ice seeped into both parties. Giovanni's couldn't hear his sister's breathing.

He swallowed again and said slowly, "I've decided… to let him be."

All that could be heard from the line was a sigh of relief.

* * *

It was a beautiful day in Unova. Bright sunshine gleamed onto the land, bringing a shine to everything. A gentle breeze stirred the forest and rustled the leaves. Some of the reddening foliage was plucked off and gently fell to the ground. The air was warm but the wind brought coolness, hinting the presence of the winter months to come.

Underneath the trees, Cilan was cooking one of his best recipes. Iris was setting the table for lunch with their utensils. All the children's Pokémon were out, playing cheerfully but careful not to get in the way. Nearby, Ash lay on his back on the ground. His hands were behind his head as he stared contently at the sky above, tracing the clouds.

Finally he slowly lifted himself and neared his friends. Iris was almost finished when she felt his stare. She glanced at him.

"What?" she demanded.

"Hey, Iris," he only replied, "how about a battle?"

* * *

**A/N: And that's the end of Fire and Ice! Thanks guys for all of the support, you have no idea what it means to me. This was actually one of my first fanfictions and the longest story I've written.**

**If you like my work, check out my profile. I have several more stories I'm thinking of and would love to try them out. Send me a PM if any of them interest you.**

**Hope to see you around and once again thanks for everything!**


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